The Limits of God-Talk

In the previous chapter we argued that logical coherence is one of the necessary conditions which every acceptable proposal for conceptualizing the faith should fulfil. For this reason philosophical reflection has a necessary role to play within systematic theology. To some extent all systematic theology is therefore a philosophical enterprise. This claim is often rejected by theologians, on the grounds that the faith which they proclaim transcends the limits of logical coherence. Since the logical criteria of philosophy do not apply here, philosophical reflection is irrelevant to theology and ‘philosophical theology’ is a contradiction in terms. If, as in this book, we want to defend the necessary role of philosophical theology within the enterprise of theology as such, we will have to take these doubts seriously and provide an answer to them. In this chapter we will try to show in some detail that, although this view on the nature of theology has some point, it is in the end self-defeating and therefore invalid.

In section 1.2 above we argued that, following Wittgenstein, we can consider concepts as fundamental forms of thought, or mental capacities (as Peter Geach calls them) which we employ in our interaction with each other in the world. As such, they also form the basic elements in our speech. Our concepts are expressed in our words. Since thought, speech and action in fact form a well-knit unity in human life, our concepts are expressed not only in what we say, but in all our actions in the various areas of human life.