An analysis and Assessment of Panentheism in Charles Hartshorne

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Student, Department of Theology of Religions and Mysticism, Faculty of Humanities, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Theology of Religions and Mysticism, Faculty of Humanities, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Religion and Mysticism, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Charles Hartshorne (1897-2000), who was the most Process philosopher-theologian after Whitehead (1861-1947),believed that the traditional theism emphasizes on the transcendent, which prevents the creation of a two-way relationship between God and the world. For this reason, Hartshorne proposes a model in which God has two poles: abstract and non-abstract or real. The abstract pole is absolute and immutable and the real pole is relative, in motion and changeable. God is connected with the world through his real pole, or in other words, he contains the world. This attitude led to the approach of "Panentheism " in theology.
Present paper on the basis of analytical–critical method, in the first step, gives an analysis of  Panentheism; In the second step, extracts its characteristics from Hartshorne's works. In the third step this article examines dipolar theism as the main basis of panentheism; and in the final step, discusses two questions: can panentheism be a suitable alternative to traditional theism? Can this approach be considered another form of pantheism on the presence of God in the world?
Panentheism has resulted in consequences such as God and His knowledge are affected by temporal processes, the changeability of God's perfection, God's being influenced by creatures, and that God  does not have absolute power. For these consequences, Panentheism, with a special emphasis on the changeability of God, not only is not an attractive alternative to classical theism but also cannot be defended  or accepted by Classical theists. Also, since in Hartshorne's cosmological system, God and creatures are recognized as distinct identities from each other, panentheism is distinguished from pantheism in which God and the world are the same

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References

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Religions and Mysticism
Volume 56, Issue 1
September 2023
Pages 97-118

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