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Author Topic:   Can Christians Believe That God Is Immanant In The Natural World?
anastasia
Member (Idle past 5952 days)
Posts: 1857
From: Bucks County, PA
Joined: 11-05-2006


Message 1 of 2 (409609)
07-10-2007 2:02 PM


Here is a definition for immanance from Catholic Encyclopedia
Immanence is a conception in philosophy and theology that the intelligent and creative force or being that governs the universe pervades the natural world. Immanence is a fundamental doctrine of pantheism and can be contrasted with transcendence, which conceives of the intelligent and creative force as existing outside the natural world. In pantheistic systems of thought, for example, all material objects in the universe are pervaded with the infinite divine presence.
In Judeo-Christian religions, however, God both participates in the universe, that is, is present and active in the natural world; and at the same time, transcends, that is, figuratively, rises above, the universe he created.
Here is a short article from the same to illustrate where I am going.
Immanence is the quality of any action which begins and ends within the agent. Thus, vital action, as well in the physiological as in the intellectual and moral order, is called immanent, because it proceeds from that spontaneity which is essential to the living subject and has for its term the unfolding of the subject's constituent energies. It is initiated and is consummated in the interior of the same being, which may be considered as a closed system. But is this system so shut in as to be self-sufficient and incapable of receiving anything from without? -- or can it enrich itself by taking up elements which its environment offers and which are at times even necessary, as nourishment is to the immanent activity of the body? This is the problem which the philosophies of immanence propose and attempt to solve, not only in respect to man considered as a particular being, but also in respect to the universe considered as a whole. It is, indeed, with reference to this latter aspect that the controversy arose in ancient times.
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My question for discussion is two-fold: Would evolutionists say that the operations of nature are immanant, as in exclusively beginning and ending with themselves, to the extent that a creator is ruled out as a possibly necessary source of nourishment for the immanant activity of nature?
AND
Do we as Christians often see God as completely transcendent, perhaps mistakenly? For a time I thought that to view God as immanant in creation would put me squarely in a heretical camp. Discussions on the board by Creationists usually refer to creation as a done deal, and when it is shown that this is not so, that life continues to evolve, ID'ists attempt to push God's activity to some far distant time, where He sneezed and all things seen began spreading out in the universe according to plan. This causes a theological problem, or maybe simply a logical problem.
Evolution shows that there is no need for a plan. Man may or may not have been a result of its action. If God's creation was not designed, merely put in motion, it is possible to say that God in His omniscience knew that man would exist, but that He did not cause man directly, and consequently had no place for us in His divine plan. Many Christians have a hard time accepting this 'accident', so I would like to discuss whether the idea of God immanant in nature is one which is consistant with Christian theology/Bible study, whether God can be seen as guiding evolution's direction, {notwithstanding the fact that evolution COULD and DOES go about its own devices}, and whether God's immanace in the universe would reconcile the problem. From the definition above, I think it is safe for Christians to view God as still creating.
I foresee a lack of Biblcal affirmation for my emergent view, so if this topic is promoted, it may be good for Bible study. Otherwise, Faith and Belief.

AdminPhat
Inactive Member


Message 2 of 2 (409612)
07-10-2007 2:07 PM


Thread copied to the Can Christians Believe That God Is Immanant In The Natural World? thread in the Miscellaneous Topics in Creation/Evolution forum, this copy of the thread has been closed.

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