If like me you are unfamiliar with this term, hopefully this quote from Keats, the originator of concept will help, please excuse the non inclusive language.
“I mean Negative Capability, that is when man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.”
There was a time when I would have found this idea bewildering, happy not making sense, I don’t think so. Many of us would now refer to this state as a virtue, of embracing and welcoming mystery. The Trinity and suffering would fall into this arena. For some God, might fall into this list.
Learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortableness is a core aspiration of being in a caring service. Not sure and maybe is a long way from where I started of certainty having a high value and position in my Christian life and ministry. When it comes to being unconditionally loved by God, I would still be in that place. But for other beliefs, not so much certainty or absoluteness.
A potential counter argument of this position is that we should seek to fact check statements that seem a little out there. Living with mystery is not the same as being gullible. Faith is different to just accepting possible, probable deceptions or lies.
Facts and mystery can and should constructively coexist together. We are able to flourish in places of pain and injustice because we have just a few core cornerstone foundations of both. Perhaps it is not a negative capability, but an essential positive one.
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