If you have been reading this blog you have noticed that we here at christian idealism and apologetic’s promote the idea of panentheism the belief that God is greater than the universe and everything in existence is being simulated in Gods mind. Many Christians I have spoken this about don’t like this idea because many heretical religions like Hinduism and christian science teach this same thing that the universe is in Gods mind. Well we also do teach it however when it comes to Gods nature they have a much different version of it than what we here are advocating.

In Hinduism and christian science they hold to strong panentheism the belief the universe and God share a complete identity but God is also a personal being. So basically God simulates the universe within his mind but the universe is necessarily correlated with the Godhead. This is not the panentheism that we subscribe to and I would agree that this is not a safe christian doctrine but what we hold to is weak panentheism.

Weak panentheismis the belief creation is contingent and distinct from God but still dependent on him, they are distinct but creation depends on God and cannot exist without him this is exactly the belief that the universe is in Gods mind and is simulated by Gods mind but that God is the ultimate being and is existence itself. This would be a hybrid of classical theism and weak panentheism since creation depends on God and creation is in Gods mind but yet God is the absolute source of existence which is why its classical theism. So in this view creation is not part of Gods essence but its also not separate from him and creation emerges from the divine energies of God and not the divine essence of God like in strong panentheism. This captures the heart of scripture since it says God and creation are separate but yet creation is dependent on God.

Acts 17:28 “In him we live and move and have our being, As some of your own poets have said we are his offspring”

Colossians 1:17 “And he is before all things and in him all things hold together”

John 14:19-20 “Yet a little while and the world will see me no more but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my father, And you in me, and I in you.”

So the bible teaches creation is distinct from God but also dependent on him which is why the universe is being simulated in Gods mind. Now the main thing that makes strong and weak panentheism different is the essence energy distinction. In strong panentheism creation emerges from Gods essence but in weak panentheism creation emerges from the divine energies of God. One of the important doctrine’s taught in the early church that has been forgotten by theistic dualist is the essence-energy distinction. The essence is completely other, wholly transcendent outside the realm of the created but yet God works in creation to have a relationship with us and this is achieved through the energies of God but the energies are still fully God. Basically Gods energies are radiations of divine glory but are no more the divine essence than rays are to the sun. So to put this into simple terms you have God then the divine energies are Gods thoughts or words (platonic information) that radiate from Gods essence and the energies of God (platonic information) create or simulate our physical universe into existence. So under a classical theism/weak panentheism hybrid model of God you have God as he is the absolute metaphysical ultimate being with all his attributes such as being all powerful and all knowing but yet all of creation exist within him like a simulation or dream environment within his mind but the simulation is not part of Gods essence it only exist like a dream just like when we have dreams our minds essence is not a part of the dream it only creates the dream. So that is the difference between weak and strong panantheism so Christians can accept objective idealism without compromising scripture.