How does one define trinitarian? Does that mean that there are three facets of God that make up God in totality? I don't know if this is the proper definition but it will be the one I use. Given the definition of monistic panentheism as: God includes all the principles and laws of existence, as well as physcial matter and energy and any spiritual realms which may exist. So, we have principles, physcial and spiritual. If you look at it in this basic framework it would seem that monistic panentheism leans toward being trinitarian. It could be the embedded theology of the writer of the definition of monistic panentheism coming through. I also realize the basic framework is lumping together things that may or may not fit together in order to get to three "facets." I also realize when talking about God we are dealing with mystery which can not be defined. Maybe God can only be experienced.
Hi Melody,
ReplyDeleteI am still quite new in my thinking about these terms and I'm not sure if I fully grasp their meaning. It seems strange to me that the idea of the Trinity is practiced in monotheism. If one Supreme Being exists, then why is there a division of this being into three parts. Maybe this is too obvious of a question, but it stands out to me. Perhaps the idea of a single Supreme Being was more of a goal to be attained, but it has been broken down into three parts in order to make that Supreme Being more approachable. It seems that Monistic panentheism is trinitarian, because it seems to combine philosophies of both east and west which I enjoy. However, the trinity can be found in Hinduism as well: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Maybe the trinity is just a way of looking at the Divine in any God-Concept, and can perhaps be found somewhere in all philosophies.
Hi Melody - and Jeffrey; I too have questions about the "mono" and "tri" aspects of Divinity.
ReplyDeleteOne of the metaphors I have used for years is that of God as a "disco ball". You know, the multi-faceted mirrored ball in the center of the dance floor ceiling, reflecting points of light to all corners of the room. It seems to me that God is what he/she/it is, and the facet we relate to is the one we can see from where we stand (culture, upbringing, embedded theology, and the like.) To expand on the metaphor, it is not God that is different, just our perspectives.