QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT PANTHEISM
1- Are all pantheists united around the same creed?
2- How do people come to pantheism?
3- What relationship exists between pantheism and paganism?
4- Why this connection with ancient views, such as animist ones, given that the word 'pantheism' can be considered recent, having been coined for the first time at the beginning of the eighteenth century?
5- Do pantheists believe in life after death or in the existence of the soul?
6- When pantheism states that god is the universe, does this mean that god is immanent in the universe?
7- If the universe is god, the word god becomes a synonym for universe, which seems to empty the need for the concept of "god". Wouldn't pantheism be a form of atheism?
8- How does the pantheist relate to the idea of evil and salvation?
9- Is there any form of worship or sacraments in pantheism?
10- Is it possible to experience the 'reality of oneness'?
11- Being a religious alternative, what does pantheism offer?
12- Is this form of pantheism therefore "scientific"?
13- How to learn more and find good bibliography on pantheism?
1- Are all pantheists united around the same creed?
Pantheism considers the Universe as a whole 'divine'; as such, the central object of the pantheist perception is a true "unity", a union. It is clear that different understandings of this perception are potentially capable of offering different types, versions or facets of pantheism. It is assumed that there are as many forms of pantheism as there are people, since the pantheist is the leader and author of his own religiosity, which means pantheism is essentially a creative religion. However, in pantheism there is a central, nuclear or typical vision, defined by the presence of some essential factors:
(1) the negation of 'transcendentheism' and salvationism — that is, the belief in the existence of a personalized, exterior, or transcendent creative entity;
(2) the affirmation that god is the Universe itself, or more specifically, the essential unity of all things;
(3) the emergence of a feeling defined as 'divine' when appreciating the beauty, grandeur and mystery of universal nature;
(4) the intention to praise, exalt and love life and Nature.
The Universe is perceived as divine from the realization and experience of an illuminating, numinous feeling when contemplating the Universe. This feeling, in turn, is the source of an intuitive process that generates a set of values, opening spaces for a more humble, ecstatic, reverent and joyful relationship with Nature, as well as an impulse toward a clearer and deeper perception of oneness. Therefore, when the pantheist considers that the Universe is divine, that the Earth is sacred, he does so with the same sense of reverence, respect and love that members of other religious movements dedicate to their own divinities. The pantheist perception opens onto a genuine mysticism where great metaphysical values blossom: a sense of oneness, of paradoxicality (experience annuls logic, in a feeling of unity where the 'self' exists and does not exist at the same time) and transcendence where the state-of-being experiences a feeling of infinitude.
2- How do people come to pantheism?
Many have the privilege of being, naturally, pantheists by cultural influences (people living closer to indigenous cultures, or more removed from social influences where theism and salvationism prevail). Others, depending on their affiliations, arrive at this position after a process of seeking — balanced between a movement of flight and approach, a path sown with challenges occurring within their own system of beliefs and emotions, of encounters with a previously unsuspected harmony and beauty.
The 'flight', in our metaphor, can represent the distancing from supernatural visions regarding the emergence of the universe, from absolute anthropocentrism, from the idea that life on the planet is merely a passage, or 'purgatory', for another better life, etc. The 'approach' happens in the direction of stimulating — spontaneously, or through meditative practice — an ecstatic, 'oceanic' feeling of union and fullness with nature itself. The result of the process is established with the emergence of the understanding that nature is our glorious and sublime cradle, the source of our origin, the setting of our lives, the final instance of our existence, a sacred and full place where the state-of-being sees itself as adequately and legitimately inserted, no longer yearning for other Elysiums or ideal places.
3- What relationship exists between pantheism and paganism?
The term 'pagan' is ambiguous, lacking a substantial definition, and is often explained as referring to all those "who have not been baptized by the rites of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church". Thus, practitioners of cults, generally polytheistic or animist, from the present day and from antiquity up to the beginning of the fourth century — where nature, its cycles and various aspects were often worshipped within primitive agrarian cultures — are considered 'pagan'.
With the exception of naturalism, these cults have little to do with modern pantheism; however, some current spiritualist movements call themselves 'pagan', or adherents of 'neo-paganism' or 'neo-shamanism', finding more affinity with these ancient cults than with the central dogmas of Roman Apostolic Catholicism and its resulting divergences and syncretisms. Some adherents of neo-paganism believe that divinity 'manifests' in the universe, in everything that exists, and use rituals and apparently polytheistic forms only as a metaphorical, symbolic approach toward the concept of universal divinity; in these cases, they can be analyzed and described as a form of pantheism. Some individuals feel the need to use symbols and characters to mediate their relationship with nature as a connecting vehicle, without thereby departing from the basic vision of pantheism.
John Toland (1670–1722) is cited as the author of the word; he appears to be the creator of the term 'pantheism', using it as a synonym for 'Spinozism'. Anthropology describes that, from the very beginning, human beings seem to have considered the Earth as a sacred place, surrounded by mysteries, magic and enigmas — that is, by 'divinity'. It is the general opinion that the first agent conceived as divine was the great Mother-Nature herself, or some parts of Nature such as mountains or seas. It is precisely this childlike and imaginative perception of nature (sublimity, enchantment and magnificence) that characterizes the pantheist way of seeing. Ancient humanity, not yet exposed to the myths of salvationist theism, existed rooted in concepts akin to those of pantheism.
5- Do pantheists believe in life after death or in the existence of the soul?
There is no 'official doctrine' determining what a pantheist must believe. There is only a base, a cognitive nucleus, already described: the acceptance and perception that god is, rigorously, the Universe, in its known and unknown aspects, coupled with a numinous feeling, the profound experience of the sacred in its relationship with Nature. This base leaves space for each individual to find and cultivate the ideas that prove most comfortable and sensible, in accordance with their needs or tendencies. It is possible to imagine some forms of pantheism incorporating the belief in a 'soul' or 'spirit' subsisting after the individual's death, but in fact it is more intuitive to suppose that the majority of modern pantheists consider cognition, feelings and consciousness as aspects of the 'soma', of the body: with the death of the individual they will dissolve together with the organism, whose matter/energy will diffuse into the Universe. The process that generates life and consciousness, in itself, can be understood — depending on each person's cosmological preferences — as without beginning and without end, eternal, inescapable; the eternal exists in the phenomenon, and the phenomenal can be experienced in the light of expanded states of consciousness, experiencing archetypes, crucifying oneself on the axes of metaphysics.
Some forms of neo-paganism consider it this way; they may be defined as pantheist for accepting the central point of the negation of god as an entity exterior to the Universe — that is, radically transcendent. This would be a 'mild' form of pantheism, or a 'panentheism', the full form being the understanding that there is no immanent entity absorbed in the universe, but rather that the universe itself is, in fact, exactly, what the theists call God. To clarify: the pantheist god is the universe itself, as understood by science, as perceived with the eyes, the imagination, and other sensory organs. Once this understanding is achieved, we begin to use the words Universe and Nature with capital 'U' and 'N', and the word god with a lowercase 'g'. The Universe is god. The pantheist god is visible, palpable, present, obvious, absolute and evident, as clear as the light of the Sun. Many of its mysteries are the mysteries pointed to by science, cosmology, mythology and physics.
Pantheists can only be placed in the category of atheists by those who advocate the reality of a personalized, supernatural and transcendent god. In reality, when pantheism reveals that god is the Universe, the pantheist's universe differs from the trivial concept of universe by being considered sacred and profoundly respectable, divine in its deep mysteries, and generative of life and consciousness, of mythical dimensions. What a pantheist calls the Universe is not identical to what is pointed to by the same word in everyday language, including in the language of other religious people and of atheists. In some sense the concept of God emerges in humanity to define the superlative, the incomprehensible, the numinous, that which overflows our limits; for a pantheist, this same concept of 'the divine' is attributed to the Universe, grounded in nature: it resides in the essence of the state-of-being. This position differs entirely from the atheist stance that rejects the notion that anything is divine in the sense of sacred; in reality, pantheism offers a new alternative, a new metaphysical axiology, to theism and atheism, pointing to another axis of metaphysical perspective — which I call the 'cosmo-existential metaphysical perspective axis' — through which one naturally transcends, without 'spiritualizing' into idealisms constraining the greatest realization to a post mortem sphere.
8- How does the pantheist relate to the idea of evil and salvation?
Pantheism does not declare it essential to its concept of the divine that nature be perfect in all its manifestations. Nature is as it is, allowing, at various levels, occurrences that we categorize as evil, harmful, etc., in the light of norms, visions and criteria defining what is good. From the fact that nature, in its totality and unity, is considered divine, it does not follow that all parts of the system must and need to be good and divine. The elements of a whole do not need to have the same qualities as the whole itself — a house may be new and modern and have been built with old bricks and timber; a species may have existed for millennia and its individuals may live only a few years; a bonsai may be perfect, but some of its leaves may be imperfect.
With regard to the idea of a metaphysical, theological 'evil', the problem is foreign to pantheism, being in fact specific to theist doctrines, which conceive a plenipotent and sapient, perfect and good god, creator and superior to all that exists — implying the need for an adequate and convincing explanation of the creation, origin, existence and activity of evil within the domain, authority and ultimate responsibility of that supreme being with the aforementioned virtues. By considering a transcendental god non-existent, pantheism empties the problem.
For the pantheist, everything is part of the natural Universe; there is no movement or yearning in search of 'metaphysical salvation'. Everything flows in the universe, everything transforms, without exception, including the various forms of individuality. It is not typical of pantheism to believe in the existence of a 'soul' surviving death. For pantheists capable of a profound openness to mystery, there is 'a movement in search of the divine', a realization of the eternal that transcends all attachments. The pantheist perceives, through observation, intuition and analysis, that everything that exists is already a totality, a oneness, eternally present and original, of which they are already a part and to which they are already integrated, identified, united — subjectively, cognitively, emotionally and mythically (spiritually, in our terms) — occasionally experiencing and tasting this oneness. Perceiving, feeling and experiencing this totality and oneness can be imagined as some form of 'salvation', of transcendence, in a comparative analysis.
9- Is there any form of worship or sacraments in pantheism?
If pantheists are characterized by a well-defined belief system, it is clear that some type of practice, a way of existing and living, must flow from this vision. Since nature offers countless aspects, variations and nuances, a variety in the ways of relating to it is to be expected — especially because aesthetics, the appreciation of Beauty, is a hallmark of the pantheist spirit and ethics (see the book "ethics and aesthetics" on the homepage www.essencialismo.org.br). The cycles of Nature, being universal, tend to become important landmarks in the construction of pantheist rites and solemnities. Pantheist practice points to the interdependence among all things, referring to an essential oneness; this cultivation is carried out through the study of ecology and the natural sciences, that is, intellectually, in an 'Apollonian' manner, to use Nietzschean expressions, and also sensorially, through intuited perception, through meditation, in a 'Dionysian' manner. Therefore the development of a new culture — the 'culture of oneness' — emerges as a physical and spiritual reality.
From my perspective, the experience of ecstatic states of absorption and union with Nature forms the nucleus around which a pantheist practice will tend to be erected. From this essential culture, expressing itself in diverse people, flow practices and lifestyles — diverse, yet centrally identified as pantheist: a multiplicity of creative ways of living and celebrating, of feasting and solemnizing the same feeling, the same Universe.
Nature is not only the pantheist's divinity — it is also their temple. The adornments of the pantheist temple are the most evident and imposing natural elements: the Sun, the Moon, the mountains, the most beautiful and inspiring landscapes, the starry skies, the rainbow, the birds, the flowers — all universal beauty.
In the Sociedade Panteísta Ayahuasca, members gather once a month to study and exchange ideas, to meditate on pantheist concepts, as well as, through the use of the psychoactive potion known as Ayahuasca, to realize and savor a mystical feeling of union. The four 'pillars of the temple' are the most influential landmarks of nature: the seasons of the year, defining the cyclical succession of both climates and ritualistic activities; and the two solstices and equinoxes.
10- Is it possible to experience the 'reality of oneness'?
It is clear that no finite being is given the possibility of comprehending with certainty — both through intuition and through the intellect — the universal totality. The best method for intellectual understanding is certainly the inductive reasoning used by science, but it is clear that this method is not certain and absolute, but contingent and subject to revision in the light of new paradigms and information. On the other hand, from a perceptual standpoint, we only contact reality according to a neuro-sensory programming conditioned by genes through the phenotypic expression of the sensory organs. It is evident that these systems were selected not for their ability to recognize the infinite and philosophize, but for their utility; they allow a valid and sufficient perception of reality so that we may exist and reproduce. Even equipped with instruments, telescopes and microscopes, we ultimately depend on a scientific analysis of the information gathered: we return to the methodological uncertainty described above.
Beyond these inherent limits there are insurmountable limits putting our capacity to understand in check: linear logic works well at median magnitudes, encountering obstacles at the confines of the infinitely large and small when confronted with unsolvable paradoxes, 'infinite regressions' or 'mysterious beginnings'. Questions such as the comprehension of the logical continuity between diverse scales or attributes — such as static matter and life, or life and consciousness, 'res extensa' and 'res cogitans' — seem to lie beyond the potentials of humanity. As some philosopher once stated, "the size of our knowledge is like an island in the sea; the more it grows, the more the shores of the unknown grow." At the level of meanings and 'whys' there are no answers. After all, as Leibniz (1646–1716) asks, no one will ever know "why something exists rather than nothing". Therefore, after centuries of study and investigation: 1) we know something of reality; 2) we intuit the magnitude of what we do not know; and 3) we know that we will not be able to know the answers to many questions we ask. Just as the eye cannot see itself, we cannot see the roots of consciousness. If science is condemned to be relative, the basic mysteries shall always be absolute — and perhaps here resides the real, mystical sense of the idea of 'imperfect humanity' in the terms of certain hermeneutics, such as Christianity.
'We know that we do not know' — and I believe that this state of essential unknowability is as vital to the health of consciousness as air is to the flight of birds, water to fish. Certainly, the mystics — whether Socrates or Buddha or others — encountered the same paradoxes. Mystical union does not grant access to new factual knowledge, but enables the experience of unity and the transformation and transcendence of the conscious phenomenon: an immediate and 'trans-rational' way of knowing.
Pantheist philosophy has intuited not only that things are interconnected, but that they are woven of the same substance, that they form a totality, a oneness. Although our energy (capacity to feel and integrate information) is limited and finite — we are drops of consciousness suspended in infinite void — the goal is to grasp, as much as possible, this state of affairs, and, through meditation and mystical union, to experience this union from a qualitative standpoint.
11- Being a religious alternative, what does pantheism offer?
Like all religions, it offers social spaces where people of the same communion of ideas can meet and share happy moments. By accepting pantheism as a philosophy of life and religion, we opt for a profoundly positive, sublime attitude toward life as it manifests on our planet Earth. Instead of admiring nature as a production, the magnificent work of a creator god, we reverence directly God/Nature for its force and power, its beauty, its mysteries and infinite grandeur, for its divinity. Considering this world a sublime space of which we are legitimately part, we come to integrate the universal family without any reservation. Planet Earth becomes our true home, and, as a consequence, we tend to assume a profound ecological interest — safeguarding the conservation and most beautiful expression of nature becomes a priority. Pantheism offers a path in search of the realization of unity.
12- Is this form of pantheism therefore "scientific"?
Pantheism is essentially a metaphysical proposition. If it were only a matter of negating transcendentheism it could be considered a scientific, logical attitude — but this negation is not essentially pantheist; it is atheist. What in fact essentially characterizes pantheism is the vision that Nature is god, is sacred, or 'divine', as well as the intention and decision to "praise God/Nature"; these propositions are not in fact circumscribed by science, which is the domain of quantities and not of qualities, but by metaphysics. Pantheism cannot be reduced to a scientific attempt to understand the world: pantheist metaphysics — which in other writings I call the 'cosmo-existential metaphysical perspective axis' — surpasses the scientific vision, without entering into conflict, appreciating without difficulty the hypotheses of cosmology in terms of explaining something of origins. Pantheism is above all about cultivating a relationship with nature. Many artists, poets and scientists are also pantheists.
13- How to learn more and find good bibliography on pantheism?
Several essential sites are indicated in our links. In English I emphatically recommend the site of the World Pantheist Movement (WPM), whose director Paul Harrison is the author of the book "Elements of Pantheism", currently available as a free electronic publication. I equally recommend the site of the "Universal Pantheist Society", founded in 1975, where various interesting texts are published. A bibliography — often non-specific, but vast and informative — can be found there. In Portuguese I recommend the book "Panteísmo – a religiosidade do presente – Régis Alain Barbier, 2010", available at Livraria Saraiva and Livraria Cultura, or directly from the author. In this book, a philosophical discourse — equipped with a precise metaphysical definition, the 'cosmo-existential metaphysical axis', challenging the 'transcendent' and 'transcendental' metaphysical positions of Kantianism and neo-Kantianism (termed terminative by culturalists such as Miguel Reale – 1910–2006) — the author demonstrates how a profound sense of unity served as the cradle and foundation of our civilization, was ruptured in subsequent episodes of political super-stratification, but re-emerged from the 1960s onward, today configuring a new naturalistic religious form, pantheism destined to surpass all forms of salvationist theism.