Panentheism (from
Greek πᾶν (
pân) "all"; ἐν (
en) "in"; and θεός (
theós) "God"; "all-in-God") is a belief system which
posits that the divine (be it a
monotheistic God,
polytheistic gods, or an eternal cosmic animating force
[1]) interpenetrates every part of nature and timelessly extends beyond it. Panentheism differentiates itself from
pantheism, which holds that the divine is synonymous with the universe.
[2] Unlike pantheism, panentheism maintains the identity and significance of the non-divine in the world.
[3]
In panentheism, the
universe in the first formulation is practically the whole itself. In the second formulation, the universe and the divine are not
ontologically equivalent. In panentheism, God is viewed as the eternal animating force behind the universe. Some versions suggest that the universe is nothing more than the manifest part of God. In some forms of panentheism, the
cosmos exists within God, who in turn "
transcends", "pervades" or is "in" the cosmos. While pantheism asserts that 'All is God', panentheism goes further to claim that God is greater than the universe. In addition, some forms indicate that the universe is contained within God,
[2] like in the concept of
Tzimtzum. Much
Hindu thought is highly characterized by panentheism and
pantheism.
[4][5] Hasidic Judaism merges the elite ideal of nullification to paradoxical transcendent Divine Panentheism, through intellectual articulation of inner dimensions of
Kabbalah, with the populist emphasis on the panentheistic
Divine immanence in everything and deeds of kindness.