Pantheism is not a religion so much as an underlying belief expressed in many religious systems, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Neo-Paganism.
Talking Points:
- Pantheism is the belief that everything in existence is of the same essence. For pantheists, God, humans, animals, and rocks are all made of the same “stuff.”
- Pantheism is simply not envisioned in the Bible. Instead, the Bible presents a God who is different from anything else in creation because God has no beginning and no end. Psalm 90:2, Romans 1:20
- If God is eternal and humans are not, humans cannot be part of or equal to God. Even though created in God’s image, humans are not the same as God. We are not eternal. Genesis 1:27
- In our basic nature and essence, we are very different from God. So is the rest of creation. Unlike us, our God is not bound by the constraints of the physical universe. He is greater and higher, and he always will be.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- How would a pantheist define “god” differently than a theist? What are some pantheistic religions? What are some expressions of pantheism in popular spirituality?
- Read Psalm 90:2 and Romans 1:20. What kinds of miscommunication might arise when talking about God with a pantheist? How could you overcome this problem?
- Read Genesis 1:27. According to the Bible, in what ways is God essentially different from human beings?
- Why do you think some people might find pantheism to be appealing? What do you think they would say is “beneficial” about being pantheistic?
- Why do you think it is important to maintain a distinction between God and his creation?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
