Classical theism
Classical theism is the form of theism in which God is characterized as the singular Absolute Being, Absolute Self, and Ultimate Person who is the source and origin of all the other beings.
The central insight of classical theism is divine simplicity, according to which God does not consist of a combination of different elements, but is absolute and singular. There is no difference between God's essence and existence. Unlike entities, God does not contain potentiality, It is pure existential actuality; and all existence except God is a limited state of the unlimited existence of God's absolute singularity. All existence emanates from and rests on God independently of time, for God is the timeless absolute source and ultimate condition of all existence.[1]
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Understanding of God
Classical theism holds that God is both immanent and transcendent to all of existence. According to classical theism, God is singular and has such qualities as immutability, impenetrability, and transcendence of time.[2][3] In classical theism, it is accepted that "created" beings (all beings, conscious or unconscious, except God Himself) are conditioned and dependent at all times on God, the Ultimate Being and Absolute Self, for their existence.[4] God is the Ultimate Being who requires no conditions for his existence; Although singular, He has everything that exists or has the potential to exist, and all other beings arise from the absolute existential presence found in God, so God is the Ultimate Source and Origin of all beings.
Ontology
In the understanding of classical theism, God is conceived as the timeless absolute source and unconditional condition of all existence.[1] In this context, in Vaishnavism, a Hindu sect; the Supreme God, who is mentioned in the forms of Vishnu and Krishna, is described as sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam ("The Cause of all causes").[5] The expression ho ou kinoúmenon kineî ("He who moves without being moved") used by Aristotle characterizes God in the classical theistic context,[1] with the example that the movement of the entire universe depends on God. In classical theism, since God is not only the source of all material entities but of existence as a whole, it is the Singular Being that is also the source of consciousness, personality, and self, it is itself conscious, self, and the Absolute Self.[1]
Therefore, in Hinduism, God is expressed by the concept of Paramātman ("Absolute Self, Ultimate Person").[6] Vaishnava guru Prabhupada described God as the "Eternal Father of all souls", and therefore he argued that each of the different infinite souls emanating from God are in essence siblings and are children of God.[7]
Cup and integrity example
The Existence of a cup as a whole depends on the existence of the molecules that make up the cup as a whole, and the existence of molecules as a whole depends on the integrity of the atoms that make up those molecules. In this context, no totality of existence exists as a whole on its own, except for an absolute source, which is the ultimate condition of integrity, because the holistic existence of each is conditioned to a higher source that integrates itself.
It is necessary for there to be a source that is whole to itself and transmits existence to all other wholes; Because all of the whole entities except the sourceless source or causeless cause are not the cause of wholeness, therefore only an ultimate source that is whole to itself can be responsible for the existence of the state of wholeness. This source must have absolute singularity because if it did not have simplicity and singularity, it would not be the source of wholeness, since it is itself the whole of different entities.
All upper conditions are the timeless source and condition of the lower conditions, for the integrity of the cup depends on the integrity of the molecules at every moment, and the cup cannot exist even for a second without the integrity of the molecules. In the context of a hierarchy that is independent of time, even if the being is beginningless, it wouldn't have affected whether this existence has conditions and sources; as even if the cup is beginningless, it would have been based on the integrity of the molecules since eternity.[1]
The purpose of this example is to explain that in classical theism, God is the Absolute Singular Being, timeless source, origin, and uncaused cause of all states of existence, just like in integrity.
Representation
Islam/Sufism
Classical theism entered the Islamic tradition as early as Al-Kindi. Al-Ghazali rejected classical theism, calling its followers "Islamic Aristotelians", and classical theism within Islam was harmed by the reaction of Islamic orthodoxy.[3]
In Sufism -the esoteric interpretation of the Islamic religion and Qur'an- God is identified with the name "al-Haqq", which indicates Absolute Reality. According to this interpretation, existence overall is a limited and restricted reflection of God, who is the unrestricted and unlimited existence.[8]
Scholars of Islamic Philosophy like Ibn Sīnā and Farabi argued that God, the Absolute One, is the source of all existence and that everything emanates from Him.[9] Ibn Sīnā's interpretation of the divine is firmly rooted in classical theism, portraying God as entirely distinct through His absolute metaphysical simplicity, timeless nature, unchanging essence, and impassive character.[10]
Christianity
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Hinduism
In Hinduism, God is characterized by the concepts of Singular Absolute Being ("Parabrahman") and Absolute Self ("Paramātman"). In Rigveda, Yajurveda and Bhagavad Gita, which are the central texts of Hinduism; Ishvara, the Almighty God; Has been declared that He is the Absolute Being and the Absolute Self, and that all existence emanates from Him.[11][12][13][14][15]
Ishvara, the Supreme God, is mentioned by names Vishnu (Sanskrit: विष्णु "All-Pervader") and Krishna (Sanskrit: कृष्ण) in the Yajurveda and the Bhagavad Gita.
Vedantic and Bhaktic traditions in Hinduism can be described as Classical theism.[8]
According to the Bhagavad Gita, God is the source of everything and the entirety of existence emanates from Him.[16]
Scholars
Classical theism has been represented by many scholars amongst many major religions; e.g. Ramanuja in Hinduism, Thomas Aquinas in Christianity, and Ibn Sīnā in Islam; and in Ancient Greek philosophy by Plato and Aristotle;[3] and by the Ancient Egyptian scholar Hermes Trismegistus.[1][8]
It has been represented by thinkers such as Philo, Plotinus, Proclus, Athenagoras of Athens, Clement of Alexandria, Basil of Caesarea, Augustine, Boethius, Cyril of Alexandria, John of Damascus, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, Al-Kindi, Al-Farabi, Anselm of Canterbury, Maimonides, Averroes, and Gottfried Leibniz.[2][3]
Modern day
David Bentley Hart and Edward Feser are amongst the most important contemporary philosophers advocating for classical theism.
Traditions
The understanding of Platonism,[3] which originates from Ancient Greece; the tradition of Sufism, which is the esoteric understanding of the Islamic religion; and the traditions of Vaishnavism and Vishishtadvaita, which are Dharmic understandings, are considered to be prominent classical theistic understandings.[8]
Classical theistic traditions have a general understanding of devotion to God. This understanding is referred to as "bhakti" in Hinduism, "ishq" in Sufism, "devekut" in Jewish mysticism, and "pyaar" in Sikhism.
Hermetica, the sacred text of Hermeticism that emerged in Ancient Egypt; and Bhagavad Gita, which was revealed as God's revelation according to Vaishnavism; In addition to the understanding of God as the Absolute Person and Absolute Being who is the existential source; it also has the concepts of reincarnation and nirvana.[17][18]
Texts
God
"Krishna, Known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes." — Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya 21.35
" I am the source of all; from Me, all emanates. Realizing this and filled with feeling, the intelligent devote themselves to Me." — Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 10.8[17]
"There is nothing else beyond Me, Dhanañjaya. All this rests on Me like pearls on thread." — Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 7.7[17]
"All beings emerged from Narayana. Narayana sustains all beings. Every being merges in Narayana. Narayana is the eternal principle." – Narayana Upanishad Verse 13 – 16
"He is the root and source of all." — Hermes Trismegistus, Hermetica[18]
Perception of life
"Beings are unmanifest at first, manifest at midpoint and surely unmanifest at the end, Bhärata. What do you lament in this, Arjuna?" — Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 2.28[17]
"Birth is not the beginning of life; An individual awareness only begins. Death is not an extinction, it is only the end of this awareness." — Hermes Trismegistus, Hermetica[18]
Way and salvation
"Self-restrained sages, their sins spent, gain nirvana in Brahman. Their duality severed, they delight in the good of every being."— Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 5.25[17]
"One should uplift self by self; one should not degrade self. Indeed self alone is self’s friend; self alone is self’s foe. Self is friend to that self by whom self alone is conquered; but that very self can work as enemy, due to non-self’s enmity."— Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 6.5-6[17]
"...Because the first step of the soul is to fight with its self, by starting an inside conflict. It is a long case for unity in the face of duality." — Hermes Trismegistus, Hermetica[18]
See also
Books
- Bhagavad Gita
- The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, Bliss
- Five Proofs of the Existence of God
Traditions
Scholars
References
- ^ a b c d e f Feser, Edward (2017). Five Proofs of the Existence of God. San Fransisco: IGNATIUS PRESS. ISBN 978-1-62164-133-9.
- ^ a b Craig, 98
- ^ a b c d e "God, concepts of - Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy". www.rep.routledge.com. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- ^ "the view that all limited or finite things are dependent in some way on one supreme or ultimate reality of which one may also speak in personal terms." Encyclopedia Britannica, current online edition.
- ^ "Śrī brahma-saṁhitā 5.1". Bhaktivedanta Vedabase. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ T. Depurucker (January 2003). An Occult Glossary:A Compendium of Oriental and Theosophical Terms. Kessinger Publishing. p. 130.
- ^ "581100 - Letter to Brother written from Jhansi - Vanisource". vanisource.org. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Hart, David Bentley (September 24, 2013). The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, Bliss. Yale University Press.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "SUDÛR". TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (in Turkish). Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ Turner, Jamie B.; Doko, Enis (2023). Classical Theism: New Essays on the Metaphysics of God. Routledge. p. 165.
- ^ Albrecht Weber, Die Taittirîya-Saṃhitâ, Leipzig, Indische Studien 11-12, Brockhaus (1871, 1872) etext
- ^ A. Berridale Keith, The Yajur Veda - Taittiriya Sanhita 1914, full text, (online at sacred-texts.com). For specific verse, see [Kanda V, verse 5.1. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/yv/yv05.htm] "all the deities are Agni; the sacrifice is Visnu; verily he lays hold of the deities and the sacrifice; Agni is the lowest of the deities, Visnu the highest"
- ^ Devi Chand, The Yajurveda. Sanskrit text with English translation. Third thoroughly revised and enlarged edition (1980).
- ^ The Sanhitâ of the Black Yajur Veda with the Commentary of Mâdhava ‘Achârya, Calcutta (Bibl. Indica, 10 volumes, 1854-1899)
- ^ Due to differences in recensions the verses of the Gita may be numbered in the full text of the Mahabharata as chapters 6.25 – 42. (see: Sastras studies) or as chapters 6.23-40 (The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) electronic edition. Electronic text (C) Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, India, 1999.) According to the recension of the Gita commented on by Shankara, the number of verses is 700, but there is evidence to show that old manuscripts had 745 verses.(Gambhiranda (1997), p. xvii.)
- ^ "Bhagavad Gita 10.8". Bhaktivedanta Vedabase. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Goswami, Hridayananda Das (2015). A Comprehensive Guide to Bhagavad-Gita. Krishna West, Incorporated. ISBN 0692761713.
- ^ a b c d Freke, Timothy; Gandy, Peter (1997). The Hermetica: The Lost Wisdom of the Pharaohs.
