Back to Aquinas Arguments

Theological language

Analogy of being and language

Names such as good, wise, and being apply to God and creatures neither univocally nor merely equivocally, but analogically.

Guiding question

How can finite language speak truly about the infinite God?

Why it matters

Analogy lets Aquinas affirm real knowledge of God while preserving the distance between Creator and creature.

The argumentative movement

  1. 1Purely univocal language would put God and creatures in the same order.
  2. 2Purely equivocal language would make theological speech meaningless.
  3. 3Analogical naming preserves both real likeness and greater divine transcendence.