Historical Development of Knowledge of God and its conse- quences (Hosea 4:6)

Résumé

There is nothing in philosophy which does not stem from Epistemology. Even metaphysics, the most abstract aspect of philosophy, makes sense only in as much as it relates to epistemology. Consequently, this paper hopes to argue the centrality of knowledge of God to human existence. Hosea 4:6 shall serve as the launching pad. Hosea’s explorative Semitic language as seen in the text provides depth in the argumentation. The nuanced meaning of the Hebrew verb yd‘(to know) from which Hosea used the noun da‘atserves as the basis for his argumentation and presentation. There is a presupposition here based on the thesis that a nexus exists between the human person and God. St. Paul talks about how natural things ease such knowledge while serving as a conduit in maintaining the relationship between God and man. Nature makes it easy for man to know God. Aquinas representing the Scholastics supported St. Paul’s natural knowledge of God in his cosmological argument. All this point towards knowability of God. If God is knowable, what kind of knowledge would that be, experiential or religious or even cognitive or emotive? This knowledge transforms. The article concludes on a note of recommendation.