Sample Header Ad - 728x90

How widespread is panentheism within Protestant schools of thought?

13 votes
1 answer
1148 views
I'm confused about what panentheism is. The Wikipedia article and the few mentions of it here on Stack Exchange both indicate that some Christians identify as panentheists and some don't. I'm guessing it largely comes down to how you define it, but the Oxford English Dictionary has only one definition and I have a hard time seeing what separates it from an orthodox understanding of omnipresence: > **panentheism** , *n*. > > The theory or belief that God encompasses and interpenetrates the universe but at the same time is greater than and independent of it. Freq. contrasted with *pantheism*. Wikipedia mentions that panentheism influences process theology, open theism, universalism, and other doctrines generally regarded as unorthodox, as well as Hinduism, but it doesn't state that such beliefs are a necessary consequence of adhering to panentheism. My questions, then, are: 1. What does panentheism imply that a classical Christian formulation of omnipresence does not? 2. How widespread is panentheism within Protestantism? 3. What problems do Protestants who reject basic panentheism have with it? By basic panentheism, I mean a panentheism that isn't attached to open theism and the other problematic doctrines mentioned above.
Asked by Mr. Bultitude (15647 rep)
Jul 30, 2015, 10:36 PM
Last activity: Sep 1, 2018, 04:38 PM