Can we truly know anything about God's character?

Question

I've seen a few people casually write about how they know God's character—the features and traits that make up His person or existence—yet I've always been taught the opposite (that we can't possibly comprehend his true nature), and upon thinking about it myself I don't see how anyone can really claim otherwise. Yes, we have the Bible, but the Bible only suggests how God wants us to see him as; it does not necessarily show how He truly is. God is the totality of everything; His awesome magnificence is beyond everything our puny minds can comprehend. I find it an insult to God to suggest that we can begin to define him. Specifically, to attribute characteristics to God is to say He is one thing but not another, which in effect is trying to make God human. I like to think of God as more complete than the universe itself, not some bearded guy in the clouds; something that cannot be named or defined, shaped or molded by mere words.

I would say this is a common view in my area (Boston, MA, USA). Are we just a minority who thinks this way? Can we really know anything about God's character?

Note: To be clear, you can use Biblical sources but I'm not sure they will be of great use here; even if the Bible was written directly by God, we could never really prove that it was more than what He wanted us to think about him, rather than how He really is. This is more of a philosophical question pertaining to epistemology — the source and scope of knowledge in general. In theory, it could be placed in Philosophy.SE, but being about the Christian God it's certainly relevant here, and also I'm particularly interested in what other Christian's have to say on this topic, and why they might think they can conclude anything certain about the nature of God's character.

Answer 1

As I understand it, you are talking about Strong Agnosticism (or similar).

However, this contains an inherent inconsistency. If we say, "it is impossible to know anything about God" we are actually making a statement about God. In other words, to be consistent, we would have to say, "it is impossible to know anything about God excluding this statement."

Therefore, we can learn at least some qualities about God. And, as Christians, we believe He wants us to learn about Him and has given us plenty of information in the form of the Bible.

Answer 2

We understand God's personality, powers, characteristics, and attributes necessarily through religious texts and traditions. In addition, the image we form of God in our minds is a very unique thing and very difficult to express.

Humans are born with a curious instinct and seek God or a deity of some sort - they want to believe in something or someone. Sometimes humans rely on reason to come to faith. (Now, reason, without the correct premises, may lead to unbelief but that is a separate discussion)

However even if reason brings you to faith in God, it does not necessarily help in forming an image of God in our minds. The descriptions we find of God in religious texts are our only help in this regard, IMHO.

Answer 3

Yes

Can we know anything about God? Yes! We can know whatever he tells us about himself.

For example:

Exodus 34:14 (NIV)
Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

No

Can we know everything about God or fully understand his nature? No, absolutely not!

Isaiah 55:8 (NIV)
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

It's perfectly acceptable to talk about the traits and characteristics of God that we know--the ones that he tells us. However, we have to approach God with respect, reverence and honor. We have to make sure that we don't presume to fully understand God or fully understand any one aspect of his character.

Answer 4

First, the concept that "God is the universe itself" is a decidedly non-Christian view. But if it were true that God were the universe, this would answer your question before you even finish asking it. We do know certain characteristics of the universe. It may be arrogant, or an insult to god/the universe to say we fully comprehend the universe, but we certainly do know some things about the universe.

Now, disregarding this non-Christian concept that God is the universe... I believe we are extremely limited in our ability to comprehend God. We are essentially left at His mercy to reveal Himself to us.

To say otherwise (which you imply), I would say is a greater insult: God is incapable (or perhaps unwilling) to reveal Himself to humanity. Of course this would be something of God's character in and of itself (as @WikiAtArea51's answer points out).

Christians do believe that God reveals himself, in part, through his creation--which includes the universe and everything within it. Some of God's characteristics made evident through His creation would be:

• God is creative
• God values order
• God appreciates beauty (as evidenced by His creating creatures that are capable of appreciating beauty)

Now if we go one step further, Christians believe God can, and does, reveal Himself through other means as well.

Christianity believes that God revealed some of His characteristics to the Israelites by way of the Ten Commandants, for instance. We believe that He revealed much more of Himself through the person, life, and teachings of Jesus, who we believe is his Son (fully God, and fully man).

We believe that God has revealed much about Himself through the events recorded in the Bible, and that this was His attempt to reveal Himself to us--not humanity's attempt to glean understanding from a vacuum.