The Shepherds Way (TSW) ~ Eric W. King: Antiochene Understanding Apophatic & Cataphatic Theology

The Ancient Antiochene Church of God

Understanding Apophatic & Cataphatic Theology

By Presbyter Eric William King

As many of you realize who have studied here that we concern ourselves with a more "literal" view of the Bible when it comes to theology. In this sense we are strongly connected with the original Ancient Antiochene School - we were first called "Christian" in Antioch (Acts 11:26).

However, we have also documented ancient Alexandrian Theology. It was through the Alexandrian School that apophatic (apophasis) theology developed in popularity. So, what is apophatic theology? As Christians we accept the Scriptures (Christian Bible) to be God's self-revelation, personally developed and put together by Him (Holy Spirit). Many religions may speculate about "who" or "what" God is but the Bible is much different - more profound. The Bible claims to be the direct revelation of God from God to humanity – through this understanding come deep hymnic aretalogies.

When we talk about affirmations of God, we are talking about specific certainties in understanding God. This would be what we refer to as a cataphatic (more literal) understanding – using human senses and human reason in our theological understandings. However, when we begin to talk about the abstract aspects of God – the mysterious God, or “mysteries” of God – now we enter paradox and apophatic theology.

Apostle Paul affirmed that such theology exists in more than one of his epistles. We read;

“Let a man consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” – 1^st Corinthians 4:1

He also referred to the “mysteries of Christ”, the “mystery of the catching away” (rapture)” and many other mysteries such as the “mystery of the Church”.

We believe that throughout time the Christian Church has had to learn these mysteries more in depth, it requires church history to develop. The Laodicean (last church Epoch) has become unteachable, according to Christ’s own counsel to the church. They remain “lukewarm”. They are the oldest, in the sense that they are the last remnant of the previous six churches. – what has happened to these left-overs? (Revelation 3:14-22)

God requires past, present and future accountability as to what His churches have done with His counsel for each church.

The Scriptures tell us;

“I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever, Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it, God does it, that men should fear before Him. That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God requires an account of what is past.” – Ecclesiastes 3:14-15

Though God works in our spacetime continuum, He is not bound by it. In fact, He can dwell outside of all space and time – past, present, future.

There is a paradox in that we at one point realize that we must ultimately negate any affirmations of God – we are mere humans with pithy brains. Who can truly understand the Almighty? No one.

“To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? Says the Holy One.” – Isaiah 40:25

So, in the understanding of the Ancient Antiochene Church of God we must let both theologies coexist. Both the Apophatic & Cataphatic must continue in their harmony. Many in the American Protestant movements cannot accept the fact that human reason has limits. Be that as it may, God’s true Church is still here and we are listening to all souls who truly long to have a pure relationship with Adonai Hashem. We do this through the Trinity – Father, Son, & Holy Spirit (Ghost).

True FAITH is the key to true Christianity. Soon we will be posting articles about the theological subject of “true faith” (Biblical faith). Job made an apophatic proclamation when he said;

“Though He (God) slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” – Job 13:15

Pure faith. Just as when God informed Abraham to sacrifice his son, Abraham accepted the decree based on pure faith. The result? God provided a new and different sacrifice. When your faith becomes stronger these paradoxes become easy to accept – and behold, the newness comes in.

KEY: So, it is true, that we as Antiochene Christians accept that sometimes God requires an apophatic interpretation. Truly, God is beyond being.

Continue your Biblical studies with us here at, “The Shepherds Way” & “Nugget of Truth”.

Abide in Him always,

Presbyter Eric William King (February 20^th 2024)