The Experience of God and the World: Christianity's Reasons for Considering Panentheism a Viable Option

Abstract

What reasons and resources can Christian theology find for developing a panentheist position that is also able to engage with contemporary science? By taking its point of departure in basic human experiences, Christian theology can, even in a Trinitarian fashion, be developed as a way to understand God's presence in the world as a presence where the actual occurrences point towards God's own work. This point is especially related to the experience of love. Furthermore, God's presence can be understood as sacramental in the Augustinian sense. Moreover, the contributions of the Danish philosopher of religion Knud E. Løgstrup on God's presence and transcendence, as well as Niels Henrik Gregersen's elaborations on deep incarnation. Prove to offer important reasons for considering panentheism a viable option for the articulation of Christian theology.

Panentheism and Natural Science: A Good Match?

“…A panentheistic interpretation of science provides a vocabulary to speak about processes in reality in value‐laden terms. This direction, from a theological or metaphysical view to an interpretation of science, seems to characterize the contribution by Jan‐Olav Henriksen () in this issue. In his case, the point of departure is a Christian theology that speaks of the Trinity and of sacraments, but understands these notions in a way that they may be related to the world as described and understood by contemporary science.…”

“…Terminologically, pan‐en‐theism seems to be a position that combines elements of pantheism and theism, by claiming that everything is ‘in’ God, though God transcends the world. Sometimes, it seems to mean that God is in everything, emphasizing divine immanence; “dependence goes both ways” (Henriksen , 1081). Let me briefly characterize theism and pantheism before turning towards panentheism.…”

“…In his case, the point of departure is a Christian theology that speaks of the Trinity and of sacraments, but understands these notions in a way that they may be related to the world as described and understood by contemporary science. Henriksen is quite explicit on the movement from theology to panentheism: “The reasons contemporary Christian theology has for considering panentheism a viable option can, therefore, be articulated as related to theological concerns on several different levels” (Henriksen , p.1083).…”

Kristus og naturen

“…Når Gud på denne måten identifiseres med alt det materielle, har kristne en ekstra grunn til å bry seg om naturen (Deane-Drummond, 2014; Edwards, 2006, s. 59). En slik tilnaerming til økoteologi passer også dårlig med evangelikal teologi, da dyp-inkarnasjon ligger svaert naerme en panenteistisk Gudsforståelse som ikke opprettholder det tydelige skillet mellom Gud og verden som er vanlig i evangelikal teologi (Henriksen, 2017;Polkinghorne, 2015).…”