Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Beyond Words: The Challenge Of Describing The Divine

Beyond Words: The Challenge Of Describing The Divine

Last updated on: September 10, 2025 at 2:27 am by Henry Karlson

0 Comments

Beyond Words: The Challenge Of Describing The Divine 2025-09-10T02:27:07-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Edgar Serrano: Mosaic Of Paul Receiving The Words Of The Macedonian Call (Berea, Greece)/ World History Encyclopedia

It is important to remember the limitations of human language, and with it, the limitations words haven when used to represent transcendent truths, including and especially the truth of God. Because words cannot comprehend the truth in themselves, they must be seen as either pointing to or approximating the truth, serving as conventional representations of the truth. We can discuss the greater truth in a variety of ways, each which can and should complement each other, but none for them apart or collected together can come close to the fullness of the truth in and of itself. Some of the best ways for us to discuss the truth is through analogy, through symbols, through the apophatic way of negation where we discuss what the truth is not instead of what it is. While theologians might be trained to understand all of this, most Christians are not, which is why, when ordinary people read complex theological treatises, when they engage dogmatics, they will tend to misunderstand what they read: they will assume the declarations they read as being as simple, literal statements which are meant to (and so) comprehend the truth in themselves. Indeed, even those theologians who know this, who have learned the truth of it, often find themselves embracing the habits they had before they became theologians, and so end up misconstruing dogmatic definitions. Due to the way we speak and converse, it is, as Sally McFague said, easy to take what is metaphoric or not literal to be literal, and this is true for all of us: “No human words can describe God, but it is difficult to remember that because our language, although always metaphorical when applied to God, sounds descriptive: God is father, God is loving, God is the creator.” [1]

No matter how great our apprehension of God is, no matter how much we realize God transcends what we comprehend, what we attain will be less than the fullness of the truth itself. Similes and metaphors help us think about and consider God in a transcendent fashion, but we must always remember, God is greater than any apprehension, no matter how great it is. God infinitely transcends even what we posit God to be through analogy. We must take what we learn through analogy and negation only at hints at a truth beyond which we can ever conceive:

There is no comparison between earthly things and God, but the limitations of our knowledge force us to look for certain resemblances in inferior things as if they were manifestations of higher things, in order that, while we are being made aware of familiar and ordinary things, we may be drawn from our conscious manner of reasoning to think in a fashion to which we are not accustomed. Every analogy, therefore, is to be considered as more useful to man than appropriate to God, because it hints at the meaning rather than explains it fully. [2]

St. Hilary of Poitiers reminds us that theology, and theological descriptions of God, must always be understood as conventions, conventions which serve a practical application, but which must remain understood as conventions and so must not be turned into absolutes. This is why the way of negation, apophatic theology, remains an important element of theological reasoning, as it makes sure we always keep such a caveat in mind. “For nothing is fitted to denote God himself, who is not only unutterable, but even inconceivable. Wherefore he is most truly expressed by negations ; since you may state what he is not, but not what he is : for whatever positive statement you make concerning him, you err, seeing that he is none of those things which you can say.” [3]

This, of course, is a good thing, because, in our experience with God in eternity, we will find ourselves having an relationship with God which reflects this; God’s transcendence will entice us and enchant us, leading us to discover more and more, doing so for all eternity. The more we grow, the more we are deified, the more we will apprehend of God and yet there will remain an infinity which lies beyond what we know, and in this way, in our “eternal growth” (theosis), our awareness of God will grow, keeping our relationship with God ever fresh and never boring.

While apophatic theology, the way of negation, focuses on God, we must remember, the truth of God is not the only transcendent truth which lies beyond our comprehension. There is an infinite distance between us and God, and in that infinite distance, there is the possibility for all kinds of transcendent truths, some which we will eventually comprehend, others which will always be beyond our comprehension. This is why many, like Origen, tpoint out how Scripture (and God in general) will discuss all kinds of truths to us, not in a simple, literal fashion, but with symbols, analogies, and parables:

Thus if you hear of the soul’s “kidneys” being examined by God, hear “of the soul” on the analogy of eye, ears, and heart, for God does not examine either the bodily heart or the bodily kidneys. And just as the heart has the governing faculty when it comes to the body – it thus says: “You should love the Lord your God out of your whole heart” — so something analogous to what happens in the kidneys happens in the soul’s kidneys. Seeds take shape in the kidneys, and the male has these around the kidneys and thus become fertile. So the fertile soul has the powers of spiritual seeds in the soul’s kidneys. For the soul that has seeds around the kidneys sows, if it merits the holy blessing and beatitude and does nothing meriting the curse that says: “There will not be among you any unproductive or barren.” [4]

This is why Scripture tells us Jesus always spokes through parables. They are beneficial to us because, by their nature, we learn to think beyond the simple, literal level of the stories being told; that is, we are encouraged to consider the greater truths being suggested by them. “God indeed has from the beginning set parables and metaphors before humankind, through which, usually, they are taught the way to salvation better than through the naked words themselves.”[5]

We are people made to communicate with others. We cannot be silent. We communicate with each other in a variety of ways, some of them non-verbal, while many, if not most, are verbal. Having lost the poetic sensibility of the ancients, we have become much more simple, much more literal when we speak. We have, in this fashion, reduced our ability to talk about the truth. We have lost sight of the greater mystery of the truth, a mystery which contains the mystery of God, but also the mystery of who and what we are as well. We should strive to overcome our simplistic engagement with words, to look for ways they point to truths beyond themselves; that way, we will be able to use them to help us investigate the mystery of God without putting a limit on it. And in this way, we will find our talk about God, our talk theological talk, can truly provide meaning for our lives.

[1] Sallie McFague, The Body of God: an Ecological Theology (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993), 23.

[2] St. Hilary of Poitiers, The Trinity. Trans. Stephen McKenna, CSSR (New York: Fathers of the Church, Inc., 1954), 18-19.

[3] John Colet, “Celestial Hierarchy” in Two Treatises on the Hierarchies of Dionysius. Trans. Joseph Hirst Lupton (London: Chiswick Press, 1869), 13.

[4] Origen, Homilies on the Psalms: Codex Monacensis Graecus 314. Trans. Joseph W. Trigg (Washington, DC: CUA Press, 2020), 67 [Homily 2 on Psalm 15].

[5] St. Hildegard of Bingen, “Letter 268” in The Letters of Hildegard of Bingen. Volume III. Trans. Joseph L Baird and Radd K Ehrman (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), 63.

Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook.
If you liked what you read, please consider sharing it with your friends and family!

N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.

General Christian

Previous Post

September 8, 2025

Psychopaths At War

Next Post

September 11, 2025 Embracing Humility: The Key To Effective Leadership

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Gosh, did that hit the spot. I have been having great anxiety lately. And I ..."

Mark Wilson

Rejecting Doom: Christian Hope And Human ..."

"Justice and peace are two sides of the same coin. Where there is justice, there ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Thank you for your very, very powerful and very, very insightful analysis of the relationship ..."

alwayspuzzled

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Given the amount of lethal malevolence that has prevailed in human history for the past ..."

alwayspuzzled

We Must Value Our Health

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz