• Philosophy -> Metaphysics and Ontology

• 0 Comment

What are some criticisms of panentheism and how do advocates of the belief respond?

Minoru Sollon

Hey there!

Panentheism is a belief system that has garnered a fair bit of criticism since its inception. Some of the main criticisms are its implicit contradiction of traditional theism, its potential incompatibility with Deism, and the perceived difficulty in reconciling it with the nature of evil.

The fundamental contradiction of panentheism is that, by definition, it states that god exists in and through all things but is still separate from the universe. This is a stark contrast to traditional theism, which asserts that God is a non-material, intentional being who exists independently of the universe and interacts with it through miracles and other phenomena.

Critics argue that this view diminishes the almighty power of God and separates Him from the universe, which could lead to an unintended sense of detachment towards the faith. Proponents of this view respond by saying that this interpretation is outdated and cannot fully explain the complexity of the universe.

Another argument is that the belief may be incompatible with deism because its view of God as intimately involved in the temporal world seems to contradict the belief that God only created the universe at the beginning and is now distant from his creation. This may make the panentheistic philosophy difficult to reconcile with a strictly scientific worldview, for instance.

In response to this, advocates of panentheism argue that no two concepts can ever truly be “incompatible” with each other and that this is generally a limiting view of faith. Instead, they suggest that the two philosophies could be seen as working in tandem, with each giving some insight into the mystery and complexity of the world.

A third criticism of the philosophy of panentheism is the difficulty of reconciling it with evil. If God is found in all things and intimately involved in all aspects of creation, it seems paradoxical that the universe is full of so much evil as well. How can one reconcile the presence of an all-loving God with such devastating events?

The advocates of this belief argue that God has given us free will, enabling us to make choices that result in both good and bad outcomes. However, they point out that although God is not the author of evil, He can turn it into good for those who believe in Him and trust in His plans.

In conclusion, the philosophy of panentheism has some valid points of criticism, but it also has some strong counterarguments, which can often make it difficult to say for certain what is right or wrong. Ultimately, the best approach may be to look at what we know about the world and ourselves, and try to find faith that works holistically with our understanding of the universe.