Revelation, Negative Theology, and Apophasis: Marion and Eriugena on the Incomprehensibility of Revelation

The central concern of this paper is to explore how Jean-Luc Marion and John Scottus Eriugena approach the incomprehensibility of divine revelation in complementary ways. First, this paper explains how both thinkers understand revelation and rely on negative theology to approach its incomprehensibility. Then, it discusses whether the differences between their terminologies and methodologies amount to two distinctly different accounts of revelation that entail separate understandings of how the incomprehensibility of revelation may be spoken of and known in some way. At stake are two issues: first, whether Eriugena provides a phenomenality of revelation that Marion desires; second, whether Eriugena supports Marion’s claim of retrieving the patristic notion of revelation. Finally, this paper concludes by showing that Eriugena appears in how Marion’s notion of negative theology appropriates Dionysian themes. For both, the incomprehensible nature of revelation is best approached through what this paper calls a ‘refined’ apophasis that stays true to Dionysian negative theology.