Negative Theology and its Interpretation as an Atheistic Attitude in 5th Century Athens

In the following paper I try to show that there was most likely a connection between the rise of atheistic ideas towards the end of the 5th century BCE, and the previous existence of a tradition of negative theology. This would have started with Xenophanes of Colophon, in whose writings we seem to find traces of both negative theology and epistemological as well as theological skepticism. These two views would have allowed the apparition of doubt regarding the existence of the gods, which is best presented in Protagoras’ writings. This agnosticism, in turn, would have given way to the appearance of positive atheism. This may explain, as well, why theology started to raise suspicions amongst the Athenian population

Agnosticism · Atheism · Epistemology · Interpretation (philosophy) · Skepticism · Theology · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · Classical Antiquity Studies · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · Philosophy · Religious studies