Pantheism refers to a doctrine, common in New Age, Neopagan, and other eclectic religions, that the universe, as a whole, is God, and that reality is identical with divinity.
The concepts of pantheism date back thousands of years, and forms part of the theology of several religions, Eastern and Western. Pantheism is sometimes considered to be a non-religious philosophical position, in which the totality of all existence is identical to God, which denies the personality of God.
Pantheism is often associated with monism, another concept common the New Age beliefs. Monism holds that there is only one supreme being and that everything that exists is part of that one is.
Many New Agers believe that everyone and everything is God, and that is the definition of pantheism.
However, pantheism leads to monism. Once the distinctions between the creator and the creation are wiped away, the end result is monism, a belief that all is one. In other words, monism holds that there is no difference between God, human beings, and a pencil; all are parts of one undivided reality. So while New Agers hold to the concepts of monism, they also consider everything, in reality, to be divine, and that is known as pantheism.
In other words, to most New Agers, everything is divine, or a part of God. This includes people, animals, trees, rocks, the earth, the stars, and so on. Since everything and everyone is part of God, it is important that we get in touch with the "god within" in order to achieve cosmic unity.
Not all New Agers are pantheists, but all pantheists agree that reality is one. Although this reality is modified in one way or another, in the end, all pantheists agree that God is all that exists.
Pantheists largely agree that the highest reality is not dependent. Everything depends on God, but God depends on nothing. If the world should pass away, God would be unaffected.
While theists and pantheists may agree that God is independent, the positions differ on the personhood of God. Theists understand God in personal terms. Pantheists, however, generally argue that personhood is a limiting factor.
Pantheists generally believe that creation was a necessary event that occurred because it was in the nature of God to do it, and not that it was a choice made by God.
While several religions believe that divinity is a status that human beings may achieve, pantheists believe that human beings are of the same substance as God, as is everything else that exists.
Although some pantheists hold that the world does not exist in reality, most believe that the world is real. At the same time, pantheists often ascribe that the world is on a level of reality lower to that of the ultimate. Others affirm that the world is real, but only from a certain perspective.
Commonly, New Agers believe in the unity and independence of God, and the impersonal nature of the ultimate, from a New Age perspective, is emphasized by the Force of Star Wars. Yoda teaches that the Force is within each of us.
The divinity of each individual is frequently asserted, and because of the connection of the person with the divine, New Agers stress the importance of human potential in the reduction of stress, increasing productivity, and personal transformation. Tapping into both the human potential movement and the holistic health movement, New Agers believe that people can reach new heights of wellness by recognizing the organic nature of reality.
New Age practitioners often denigrate logical, conceptual, and empirical knowledge, giving preference to intuitive and mystical knowledge. New Agers are also obsessed with reaching higher levels of consciousness, and they often seek to do so through techniques designed to shut down the analytical left brain, getting conscious thought out of the way, so that a higher consciousness can break in.
New Age pantheists believe that knowledge is salvation, but they are generally referring to experiential or intuitive knowledge rather than rational knowledge. Salvation comes from enlightenment.
By reaching enlightenment, an individual is saved from ignorance, which is the source of all evil. Enlightenment allows one to walk the path toward God.
To the New Age pantheist, then, salvation is achieved through human effort and discipline, which may involve yoga, meditation, and other techniques.
The New Age emphasis on experiential knowledge clearly leads to religious pluralism, which is one of the defining characteristics of New Age spirituality.
The focus of this category is on pantheism. Although pantheism is not generally considered to be a religion in its own right, it is a component of the beliefs of several eclectic and Eastern religions, and there are people who consider themselves to be pantheists, much as a religion.
Recommended Resources
The term is defined, and the word for which believers in pantheism are known in several languages is included. A more extensive definition is also provided, and the varieties of pantheism are discussed, including the religions for which pantheism is a component. The methods of explanation are described, and debate over the various concepts of pantheism is included. Related concepts are added, and linked to.
https://pantheist.askdefine.com/
Biblical panentheism takes the Christian concept that God is everywhere, and assumes that that God is in all things, and that all things are in God. It is distinguished from pantheism, which holds that God is all, and all is God. In panentheism, God is fundamentally involved in all things. The earth rotates because God rotates it. A discussion of Biblical Panentheism examines the effects of it. Links to related articles are included.
http://frimmin.com/faith/godinall.php
Written by Poffo Ortiz, an author, poet, and philosopher who founded a movement known as Biopantheism, described as an ethics-based, biologically-focused, codification of Pantheism, which includes a speculative, Pandeistic explanation of the origins of the Universe, the site offers access to several of his writings, publicly available in Dropbox, as well as featuring an assortment of articles, podcasts, and videos.
https://biopantheism.wordpress.com/
Highlighting the books and publications of Waldo Noesta, promoting a paradigm shift toward universalism and non-duality in religion and philosophy, the site features articles on pantheism, spiritual naturalism, metatheology, and similar topics, as well as synopses of his printed and electronic books, continuing stories, and excerpts from new and developing novels. A blog, and links to other resources are included.
https://noestaaqui.com/
Offering information, news, groups, and connections for pantheists, the site includes a definition of pantheism, a history of the movement, and links to pantheist organizations and sites, as well as to pantheist writers and doctrinal discussions. Famous pantheists are acknowledged, and news about pantheism or topics of interest to pantheists is included. Articles by various authors on the subject are included.
https://pantheism.com/
Pantheist Association for Nature
The religious conservation organization is based on its view of the world as sacred, seeing divinity in the trees, the mountains, and the clouds. A description of pantheism is given, along with informational articles on various facets of pantheism, its activist role, a calendar of events, and an introduction to significant people who are inspiring to the faith. Book recommendations and links to associated sites are included.
http://www.naturepantheist.org/
Intended to advance a philosophy for life universally, and for mankind in particular, using a metaphysical concept known as symbiotic panentheism, the site's authors hold that consciousness is made of the same substance as God, that we do not dissolve into nothingness upon death, and that there are two moral absolutes: protect the right and ability of the individual to travel life unimpeded, and to do so. A project overview is set forth.
http://www.panentheism.com/
Members of the Pantheistic church believe that everything in the Universe is connected. The site offers insights into the meaning of life, being sustainability, oneness, and learning, as well as the question of life after death, and of God, from a Pantheistic perspective. Famous pantheists are acknowledged, and an overview of the beliefs and practices of the Living Universe Church are defined, with information about becoming a teacher or finding a community group.
http://livingpantheism.com/
A definition and general introduction to pantheism is offered, including the Greek God, Pan, and how it relates to pantheism. Other informational topics include the crux of pantheism, the pantheist's belief about the world, pantheism as a distributed network view of creation, a pantheist view of death, and its response to system's failure. Others include that which pantheists refer to as good, pantheism versus henotheism, the role of spirituality, and several others.
http://www.vwsp.eu/
The Paradise Project administers a Facebook page and a fan page, as well as offering general and more specific information about pantheism. Its sponsored communities and links are put forward, along with an overview of its programs, guided meditation services, and meetings in Venice, California. Well-known pantheists are acknowledged, and a recommended book reading list is included.
http://www.theparadiseproject.org/
The UPS is a non-profit organization set up to promote an understanding of pantheism. Founded in 1975, the membership organization does not require members to hold to a particular creed. Its membership policies and the benefits to membership are outlined, a definition of pantheism is given, and an overview of its projects and objectives is included, along with a reading list and a list of its own publications, with online access to some of them, and subscription data for others.
http://www.pantheist.net/
Established in 1999 for the purpose of promoting naturalistic pantheism, the WPM is the largest pantheistic organization. A history of the movement, its organization, organizational structure, bylaws, and incorporation are set forth, along with WPC principles, an overview of its publications, a statement of ethics, and a calendar of events are published to the site. Links to other pantheist and related organization and sites are included.
https://www.pantheism.net/
