Panentheism is the belief that God encompasses and interpenetrates the universe but also exists beyond it. The term comes from the Greek words pan (all), en (in), and theos (God). Panentheism differs from pantheism, which identifies God with the universe, and classical theism, which holds that God is distinct from and transcendent over creation.
Some key aspects of panentheism include:
- God contains the universe but is greater than it
- The universe exists within God but also has some autonomy/freedom
- God relates intimately to the world and is affected by what happens in it
- The world depends on God for its existence, but God can exist without the world
Panentheism has been influential in Christian theology, with versions found in the writings of Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Jurgen Moltmann, and Wolfhart Pannenberg. Some see traces of panentheism in the Bible itself.
For example, verses describing God’s immanence in creation include:
In him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28)
One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:6)
While God’s transcendence is affirmed in verses like:
Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool (Isaiah 66:1)
Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord (Jeremiah 23:24)
Panentheism seeks to hold these two truths in tension – God is both intimately present within creation and also beyond it. This preserves God’s immanence without collapsing into pantheism and his transcendence without separating him entirely from the world.
Biblical Support for Panentheism
While the Bible does not explicitly use the term “panentheism,” some theologians see passages that could be interpreted in a panentheistic sense. These include:
1. God’s Presence Fills All Things
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (Psalm 139:7-8 KJV)
This psalm depicts God’s presence everywhere, permeating all reality. His Spirit fills heaven and earth. According to panentheism, while God’s essence extends beyond creation, his presence fully indwells it.
2. The World Exists Within God
For in him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28)
Panentheism holds that all reality exists within God. This biblical verse describes all creatures having existence “in God.” He contains the universe while existing beyond it.
3. God Sustains All Things
In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12:10)
This verse depicts God continuously sustaining creation by his power. The world relies on him for its existence from moment to moment. This affirms panentheism’s claim that the universe depends on God.
4. All Things Hold Together in Christ
In him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17)
Panentheism says creation not only derives from God at the beginning, but that he actively maintains its existence. The Son upholding the universe fits with the panentheistic concept of the world existing in God.
5. Creation Waits for Redemption
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God…in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:19, 21)
A purely transcendent God could not be affected by and intimately related to the world. This passage shows creation’s bondage impacting God, who responds through Christ’s redemptive work. This interrelationship between God and the world aligns with panentheism.
Arguments For and Against Panentheism
Christian theologians have offered various arguments for and against incorporating panentheistic ideas into the doctrine of God.
Arguments For
- Scriptural accuracy: Panentheism better accounts for verses about God’s immanence along with his transcendence.
- Divine engagement: Panentheism allows for a God who truly interacts with the world rather than being impassive and detached.
- Theodicy: A God who suffers with creation makes sense of the problem of evil.
- Scientific compatibility: Panentheism accords with current scientific theories of cosmic interrelation and interdependence.
- Relationality: Panentheism envisions both God and the world as inherently relational rather than static beings.
Arguments Against
- Anthropocentrism: Panentheism seems to make the universe central to God’s very being in a way that compromises his sovereignty.
- Omniscience: A God interpenetrated with a temporal world struggles to explain God’s knowledge of the future.
- Self-limitation? A God who allows his essence to indwell fragile creation seems to deny his omnipotence.
- Pantheism? Panentheism risks collapsing the Creator/creation distinction and blending human and divine essences.
Practical Implications
Adopting a panentheistic perspective can have significant practical implications for how Christians relate to God, to other humans, and to the created world.
1. Environmental Stewardship
Since God interpenetrates nature, caring for the environment becomes a sacred task that impacts God himself. Pollution and species loss are not merely pragmatic issues but issues of seeking God’s shalom.
2. Social Justice
Human dignity gains new significance if humans exist “in God” as much as other creatures. Injustice harms the shared divine life. This generates passion for righteousness, equity, and inclusion.
3. Divine Solidarity
God is not aloof from human suffering but shares in it. This gives comfort amid affliction and compels Christlike compassion for the hurting. It also helps explain the meaning of the cross.
4. Theosis
The interpenetration between divine and human means salvation culminates in theosis or divinization. Christians grow into the very likeness of God through his indwelling presence.
Conclusion
Panentheism offers a model of God’s relationship to the world that closely binds creation to the Creator without collapsing one into the other. It resonates with modern sensibilities and has motivated Christian activism for justice. Critics argue it diminishes God and borders on pantheism. The Bible does not explicitly teach panentheism but may allow for this creative construal of the God-world relation which upholds both God’s transcendence and immanence.