I. Early Church

Negative or apophatic theology (Gk ϑεολογία ἀποϕατική/theología apophatikḗ) originated as a (neo)platonic methodology using denial or negation (ἀπόϕασις/apóphasis) to attain a mode of thinking and speaking appropriate to the supreme form of being or the divine One, as well as a vision of or union (ἕνωσις/hénōsis) with it. Negative theology thus represents a mystagogic path of knowledge, leading to the divine…