Analogy

The piece of work of analogy is key for human idea together with language, together with inwards detail for theology. Derived from the Greek analogia "proportion" (ana- "upon, according to" + logos "meaning" or "word"), it refers to the agency nosotros compare 1 affair amongst exactly about other on the dry reason of exactly about likeness or similarity. It is to a greater extent than complicated than a simile, which happens when I straightforwardly compare 1 affair to exactly about other ("God is like a light"). It is also to a greater extent than complicated than a metaphor, which is when inwards poetic linguistic communication I but assume the similarity inwards the agency I depict something ("God is a calorie-free for my eyes together with a path for my feet").

An analogy is built out of similes together with metaphors - it extends them non exactly to things but to relationships betwixt things. If a simile is similar a ratio (A : B), an analogy is a ratio of ratios (A:B : C:D, or "the human relationship of Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 to B is similar the human relationship of C to D"). So to cast an analogy nosotros mightiness say, for example, "Clay is to the potter equally the dry reason is to God". But "analogy" is also used to a greater extent than mostly to comprehend all the ways nosotros compare things that are similar to each other inwards exactly about honor but non others. Everything nosotros state nearly God relies on metaphor together with analogy, because the words nosotros piece of work necessarily come upward from the things nosotros tin forcefulness out meet together with touch.*

So God-talk has to move taken amongst a pinch of salt. When nosotros verbalize nearly God nosotros mustn't own got ourselves equally good literally. There is an analogy hither amongst the occupation of "graven images", or the temptation to error the icon for what it represents. But what if God talks nearly God? In Jesus, nosotros believe, God spoke equally a man. Just equally the Incarnation gave a justification for icons, together with thence it gave a justification for proverb for certain things nearly God together with believing them to move true. Philosophy together with mysticism were possible earlier Christ - but similar a shot in that place is also theology. The things inwards the dry reason were ever "like" God inwards for certain ways, non exactly equally signs of his presence together with activeness but equally expressions of his nature, or natural symbols of him. But similar a shot they tin forcefulness out also move sacraments together with sacramentals.

All of this possibly serves equally background to the piece of work inwards my mass of geometrical together with mathematical "analogies" to the Trinity. Thomas Aquinas was perfectly clear on the fact that the Trinity cannot move proved past times anything inwards nature - nevertheless, 1 time nosotros know past times revelation that God is triune, nosotros tin forcefulness out meet traces or impressions of the Trinity everywhere. So, for example, all things (1) subsist, (2) own got a definite form, together with (3) are ordered to an terminate (echoing Father, Son together with Spirit). Following Simone Weil, I wanted to demonstrate that key numbers together with shapes also "echo" the Trinity inwards this way. There is no attempted proof here, exactly an intellectual intuition or an help to contemplation, but the indicate is that noesis of the Trinity enables us to appreciate the beauty of creation past times seeing inwards its ordered harmony a pregnant that nosotros could non know before. Mathematics, inwards its ain agency (and you lot won't listen this said equally good often!), is a painting demonstrate of love.

* There is much verbalize inwards theology nearly the "analogy of being", or attempts to compare the existence of God together with that of the world. For an interesting intelligence of that theme larn here.

The photograph is past times Tom Bree together with is used past times variety permission.

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