God and the Physical World Flashcards
Give the three main positions in relation to God and the physical world in Hinduism, who coined them?
Non-dualism - Shankara
Qualified non-dualism - Ramanuja
Dualism - Madhva
Explain the ideas of Shankara’s non-dualism in relation to God and the physical world.
Prakriti ‘the material world’, atman ‘the soul’ and Brahman nirguna ‘the formless, transcendent, yet immanent reflection of God’ are all one.
Any sense of individuality is a temporary illusion, ‘maya’ and is not ultimately real, those unable to recognise this are suffering from ignorance, ‘avidya’.
Explain the ideas of Ramanuja’s qualified non-dualism in relation to God and the physical world.
Everything is ultimately one, however there is diversity in Prakriti that is important and real.
Explain the ideas of Ramanuja’s qualified non-dualism in relation to God and the physical world.
Everything is ultimately one, however there is diversity in Prakriti that is important and real.
Brahman saguna - the personal, attributed deities ‘devas’.
Explain the ideas of Madhva’s dualism in relation to God and the physical world, in Hinduism and the Christian adjustment.
God is not the material cause, but the teleological and efficient cause.
Monarchical model – God governs the world – totally under the control of God’s omnipotence – acts by direct intervention.
Explain the Christian idea of qualified dualism.
Dialogical model – God speaks and humanity responds – Buber uses the model of personal relationships – The importance of personal relationships, ‘I thou’ – Individualistic, marginalises modern science + Darwin’s evolution – rejected by liberation theologians.
Explain the Christian movement towards Panentheism.
Ancient Greek translation: “all-in-God.”
God and the world are interconnected and dependent on one another, but God is still transcendent.
Focuses on the immanence + transcendence.
Hans Kung – God is not the world, nor the world God, but God is in the world and the world is in God.
The universe and the divine are not ontologically equivalent (in essence) - God is perceived as the ‘eternal animating force.’
Explain the Christian movement towards Panentheism.
Ancient Greek translation: “all-in-God.”
God and the world are interconnected and dependent on one another, but God is still transcendent.
Focuses on the immanence + transcendence.
Hans Kung – ‘God is not the world, nor the world God, but God is in the world and the world is in God.’
The universe and the Ultimate Reality are not ontologically equivalent (in essence) - God is perceived as the ‘eternal animating force.’
What is Pantheism, how does it differ to Panentheism?
Pantheism is the belief that the Universe is identical with divinity.
What is Pantheism, how does it differ to Panentheism?
Pantheism is the belief that the Universe is identical with Ultimate Reality.
What is Pantheism, how does it differ to Panentheism?
17th-century philosopher Baruch Spinoza developed the idea.
Pantheism is the belief that the Universe is identical with Ultimate Reality.
Explain the Christian movement towards Panentheism.
Ancient Greek translation: “all-in-God.”
The panentheist believes that the universe is a part of God and that God is greater than the universe.
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God and the world are interconnected and dependent on one another, but God is still transcendent.
Focuses on the immanence + transcendence.
Hans Kung – ‘God is not the world, nor the world God, but God is in the world and the world is in God.’
The universe and the Ultimate Reality are not ontologically equivalent (in essence) - God is perceived as the ‘eternal animating force.’
What is Pantheism, how does it differ to Panentheism?
17th-century philosopher Baruch Spinoza developed the idea.
Pantheism is the belief that the Universe and the totality of all that exists is God.
