The Emphasis on the Apophatic Way

In Orthodox theology, the apophatic way plays a significant role, emphasizing a negation of incorrect perceptions and a dynamic understanding of God and the world.

The Accessibility and Elusiveness of God

The Church Fathers emphasize that God is personally accessible while remaining fundamentally unknowable. They distinguish between the essence and energies of God, with the latter being knowable through divine grace.

Surrendering to God and Worship

The apophatic way rejects intellectual understanding of God and instead encourages surrender and worship. It is a path of silence and deep communion, where worship and silence converge.

The Limitations of Human Comprehension

No person, belief, institution, or religion can fully comprehend or contain the entirety of God. Judging or hurting others based on one’s understanding of God is contrary to the apophatic way.

The Apophatic Way and Human Freedom

The apophatic way serves as the foundation and prerequisite for human freedom. True spiritual freedom leads to the acknowledgment of God and a sense of worship, recognizing that human freedom is ultimately determined by the freedom of God.

Human Rights Aligned with Divine Justice

Human rights must align with divine justice, truth, and love. Both “human rights” and “divine commandments” are encompassed in the Greek word “dikaiomata,” emphasizing that human freedom and rights are informed by divine principles.

Recognizing the Divine in All People

Those who grasp this truth acknowledge the presence of the divine Word in each commandment and recognize the mystery of God in all people.