Apophatic theology

&quot;Apophatic theology characterises the Eastern Orthodox traditions where theology is constructed with less emphasis on cognitive affirmations (though they are not negated), and more on the wonder, awe, ineffability of God. It is not the case that apophaticism simply means 'negative theology', that God is spoken of by 'what he is not' (God is not sinful, God is not man etc). Apophaticism has its roots in different theophanies or encounters mentioned in Scripture. If King David received a cognitive revelation in Psalm 23 'The Lord is my Shepherd', then Moses at the burning bush is left with ineffability 'I am that I am'. The raw holiness of God glimpsed by Isaiah in the Temple, John's apocalyptic journey to heaven in the spirit while on Patmos, Ezekiel's vision of the 'wheels within wheels' take us into the mysterious, the ineffable and the apophatic.&quot; -Phil Johnson