The Language of Revealed Theology

Abstract

N HIS essay entitled, A Starting-Point for the Philosophical Examination of Theological Belief, Austin Farrer states the impact of modem philosophy upon theology this way: The old method of philosophizing about theology was the endeavor to prove. This meant to prove theological conclusions from non-theological premises ... Such a method of proceeding is now of fashion.' In the essay he goes on to express a position which might be called linguistic pluralism; that is, the position that every science, art, or manner of speaking is now supposed to find its own justification its own use.2 This theory of pluralism leads Farrer to conclude that in such a philosophical climate the difference of status . . . between the demonstrable and the indemonstrable parts of theology, between 'rational' and 'revealed' doctrines largely disappears.3 Farrer's position here may be summarized two main points: First, modem developments logic and methodology have necessitated a plurality of language systems; for example, a language of science, a language of morals, a language of art, a language of religion, with each language obeying different logical rules and finding its own justification its own use. Secondly, these developments necessitate a radical distinction between religious language with its own system of symbols and their use and any other language, such as the language of science. As a result, the distinction between revealed and rational theology disappears, and with it the hope of justifying any theological doctrines on non-theological grounds. Both of these positions have become very popular philosophical and theological circles today. At the risk, however, of being considered out of fashion, if not theologically and philosophically heretical, it is the purpose of this paper to take issue with both of these points. Modern attempts to treat the language of religious doctrine as something other than descriptive discourse, whether it be emotive language,4 moral discourse,5 or even something entirely unique,6 have failed. For it seems quite clear that, at least the Christian