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Pantheism in general is a philosophy as well as a religious affirmation. The concept
of Pantheism is very old, dating back to the classical Stoics, or Greek philosophers,
such as GiordanoBruno and Spinoza. At that time, Pantheism (the belief that the universe
is the
only
divine entity) was practiced by schools of philosophers, and thus failed to resemble
an organizedreligion.
The word "pantheism" was not coined until the early eighteenth century, but notions of
the divine nature of the universe especially flourished in ancient Eastern
religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The spread of Pantheism throughout the
Western world has been attributed to the Greek Stoics as early as the sixth century
B.C., namely Heraclitus of Ephesus, who influenced the first pantheist movement. The
first Stoic school was founded in the third century B.C., and boasted Marcus Aurelius,
the Roman Emperor in the late second century A.D., as one of its most faithful followers
(although he did not designate it as the official state religion).
It was not until the early centuries A.D. that Pantheism began to organize into and
resemble a religion. Bruno, an ex-Dominican monk in the late 1500's, and Spinoza,
a Jewish philosopher in the middle to late 1600's, introduced ethical concerns and
religious ceremony to Pantheism, creating a more formal and structured foundation to the
philosophical underpinnings.
Around the same time as Spinoza, an Irish writer named John Toland developedthe term
"pantheism" to refer to this growing belief in the absolute divinity of the universe.He
was instrumental in bringing religious reverence, as well as calls for organizational
reform,to the movement now known as Pantheism. Famous nineteenth and twentieth century
thinkers and writers, such as Albert Einstein, William Wordsworth, Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Walt Whitman, and Oscar Wilde, have added credibility to, as well as fueled, the
Pantheist Movement in the modern Western world.
Paul Harrison's founding of Scientific Pantheism was the first successful attempt to organize Pantheism into a "proper" religious movement in the late twentieth century. There was one prior attempt in Europe led by Ernst Haeckel at the beginning of this century, but he was unsuccessful in his efforts. Harold Wood founded the Universal Pantheist Society in 1973, which includes all types of Pantheists. (This information was graciously supplied by Paul Harrison, and can be found in greater detail in his new book entitled The Elements of Pantheism .)
In other words, as Mr. Harrison asserts on his
web-page
,"The cosmos is divine. The earth is sacred." Pantheists believe that everyone and
everything is part of the universe, including God. They do not believe in a personal God
who is separate from the universe, rather that God is united with everything else that
exists in the universe itself.
God and the universe are the only two entities that have been characterized as being
infinite,eternal, all-knowing, omnipotent,
and
omnipresent, so it should logically follow that Godand the universe are one in the
same.
Humans, in comparison, contain the same elements as the universe -- oxygen, nitrogen,
carbon dioxide, etc. -- indicating that it created us in its own likeness. It can
alsodestroy us with natural disasters and solar activity. It reaches us at all times
with several types of radiation, and because we are surrounded by it at all times, it is
all-knowing. Furthermore,even our most powerful and modern telescopes have not been able
to detect a verifiable end to the universe, a fact which highlights its infinite nature.
"One of the most powerful arguments for the existence of God has been the argument from
design
:if nature has the appearance of careful design, then there must have been a designer.
But Pantheists do not accept the idea of a designer separate from the universe. They
believe that the universe designed itself through evolution."
When Pantheists "pray," they are actually worshipping and meditating to themselves and
nature in a natural setting within this all-encompassing, omnipotent entity that we
commonly refer to as "the universe." Everything is a part of nature and is made up of
the same substance. Nature serves not only as the interactive church or place of worship
for Pantheists, but is also their security and mother (since nature, through the theory
of evolution, made each one of us). In this way, then, the main focus of their lives
becomes the understanding, appreciation, and preservation of nature.
Just as the belief in the sanctity of the universe is the primary tenet of Pantheism,
the fusion of religion and natural science constitutes the foundation for Scientific
Pantheism, a new branch of Pantheism. The theme of linkage in Scientific Pantheism (as
well as Pantheism) also extends to interdependence among nature's creations. As Harrison
states, "All the members [living and non-living] of one habitat make up a community.
They share the same home, they depend on each other for survival... Life and planet
earth... have molded each other into a unity."
Scientific Pantheists posit that the universe constitutes all, and, thus, do not
believe in a heaven or hell, nor in any sort of traditional afterlife. Because they
believe that the same matter makes up everything in the universe, and consequently that
the mind, spirit, and body are the same, they also believe that when the body dies, so,
too, will the mind and spirit. Death, in this light, is a part of nature, and thus should
not be feared. In other words, Pantheistic views free people of the fear of death
because it acknowledges and affirms that there is a reunion with nature, the cosmos, and
humanity's divine mother upon death.
The scientific fact that nature reabsorbs the material from the body, and then recycles
it to produce new life in the divine universe, also lends a sense of reassurance and
unity within the individual as he or she nears death. On the flip-side, this same sense
of wholeness and unity with nature and the cosmos enables the Pantheist to view Earth as
a living paradise. There is no need to "travel" to another world to achieve aesthetic
perfection and fulfillment. Mother Earth, the divine universe, and every living and non-
living thing are all one, so that humans can revel, with awe, in the sights and sounds
of their familiar world that was created and is maintained by
their
divine "god" -- the universe.
Harrison states that Pantheism is very similar to Eastern religions (as opposed to
Western ones)in that because of its negation of a personal and judging God, it " . . .
promises no supernatural rewards or punishments for good behaviour. It has no concept of
sin against God, and more generally no concept of radical evil inspired by supernatural
powers of darkness. And it stresses our duties to nature no less than our duties to other
humans."
Since Pantheism does not believe in an ethical code developed by a supernatural God, it
accepts that
humans themselves
are the creators of the ethics that exist in the world today. Since we are created by
the universe and are one in the same with nature (our mother), and since we worship and
respect both of those realities, then it is inherent in us to respect everything else in
the world that is also created by the universe and that, in turn, constitutes nature.
This assumption underlies Pantheist ethics, which includes (very broadly) compassion for
all living
and
non-living creatures, respect for animal rights, the preservation of the diversity
and growth of species (i.e. evolution, the principal "design" of the universe), and a
healthy awareness of and dedication toward the maintenance of ecology.
For a more comprehensive and formal outline of Pantheistic beliefs, click here to view the Pantheist Credo.
Although Scientific Pantheism is a fairly new branch of Pantheism, it has not escaped the criticism of others seeking to challenge its belief system. In particular, the non- profit corporation Conservancy ofthe Phoenix, Inc. is a group of people who disagree with the amount of "devotion" being paid to science on Paul Harrison's Scientific Pantheism website. (Corporation President Reginald D. Atkins has graciously brought his organization and their concerns to Professor Hadden's and my attention during the construction of this webpage.)
While the Conservancy of the Phoenix (C.O.T.P.) does rest on a "metaphysical
Pantheistic base," it does so only to the extent that "The Corporation shall support and
preserve the natural habitat of the environment and the land for its non-human
inhabitants [plant, animal or mineral] in symbiotic relationship with humankind."
The C.O.T.P.
"Point Of Origin"
goes on to assert, however, that, "The Phoenix Pantheist questions all, including
Science, in seeking the truth of knowledge [the "holistic knowledge of Creation," or
Universe]; Phoenix Pantheism recognizes that science has its limits of technology and
capability relative to the time of its existence, and coupled with its own form of
arrogance can not and will not investigate all unknowns. Hence, Phoenix Pantheism
recognizes the creative and inspirational value the mystic."
Paul Harrison recognizes in his book that some people may focus their criticism of
Scientific Pantheism on Pantheist ethics (see
Beliefs
section above). For example, he observes that many critics " . . . suggest that
without the threat of God's judgement hangingover them, people will ignore moral codes .
. ." Yet, he asserts, this view is contradicted by the "social reality" of very low
crime rates among Buddhist and Taoist cultures, religions that also negate the existence
of a judgemental and personal God.
Harrison goes on to point out a more serious criticism of Scientific
Pantheism/ Pantheism. "If Pantheism believes that the universe as a whole is divine,
would this not mean that every part of the universe must be divine, even destructive
things like nuclear weapons . . . ? If so, then how could we condemn crime or evil?" His
answer? "Such criticisms make the simple mistake of assuming that the parts must have the
same qualities as the whole -- but this, of course, is not true. For example, a big oak
tree may be massive and ancient, but its individual leaves are not."
"Beliefs of
Scientific Pantheism"
This section of Paul Harrison's website summarizes the central tenets of Scientific
Pantheism.
http://members.aol.com/Heraklit1/index.htm#belief
"The
Pantheist Credo"
A formal statement of belief for Pantheists and Scientific Pantheists alike.
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~harrison/manifest.htm
"Are You A
Pantheist"
An informal questionnaire helping the individual to decide if they have "pantheistic
leanings".
http://members.aol.com/Heraklit1/index.htm#areyou
World Pantheist Movement Index
Paul Harrison's recommendation for links to "the best sources on natural and
Scientific Pantheism." Here one is able to access his website as well as that of the
Scientific Pantheism credo/ membership material and the
World Pantheist
Movement
, which was launched March 21, 1999.
http://www.pantheism.net/
The Library of
Scientific Pantheism
This site is much like Paul Harrison's site listed above, although much more narrow in
scope and material. It focuses on the personal expressions of Scientific Pantheists in
such forms as essays, poetry, and art.
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/5675/
Pantheism: A Religion For All . . .
Another personal webpage (by Mike Trobee) modeled after Paul Harrison's site.
Topics addressed include, among others, a formal definition of the term
"Pantheism"
(as defined by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy), pages on
Christian Pantheism
and Scientific Pantheism, and personal belief statements of Pantheists. An excellent
Main Links Page
is also given, with links to dozens of other Pantheism and Scientific Pantheism
sites.
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/6072/pantheism.html
Pantheism - Alternative Religions - Net Links
Another helpful list of links dedicated specifically to Scientific Pantheism, offering
everything from scholarly essays about the religion to the personal experiences of its
followers to sites containing publications on the Pantheist movement.
http://altreligion.about.com/culture/religion/altreligion/msub24.htm
An Introduction to Pantheism by
Jan Garret
A comprehensive essay encompassing characteristics from both Pantheism andScientific
Pantheism. In addition to laying out the basic belief system of Pantheism, Garret also
makes several insightful comparisons across cultures between Pantheism and other world
religions and their theologies (e.g. Western monotheism and atheism).
http://altreligion.about.com/culture/altreligion/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www
.wku.edu/~garreje/panthesm.htm%23pwhat
A Response to "Scientific Pantheism" - Universal Pantheist Society
A critique by Gary Suttle of the term "scientific pantheism" and its worth in
attracting new followers to this Pantheistic religion.
http://www.pantheist.net/society/response_to_scipan_suttle1.html
If There's No
God...What Is There Instead?
An abstract, yet creatively intricate, look at many popular, non-monotheistic
religions (including Pantheism and Scientific Pantheism) and their comparison to theories
of the universe positing it as an all-powerful entity in itself. David Java Harrington,
the author of the website, uses parables to illustrate and pleasantly enhance his
assertions.
http://members.aol.com/phumanism/instead.htm
*
Scientific Pantheism:
Pantheism in general:
References on "Pantheism":
References on "Science and Religion":
("Pantheism" and "Scientific Pantheism" were absent from these references;
the forementioned topic can serve as a helpful starting point...)
*
[Note: Since Scientific Pantheism was created on and initially spread over
the world-wide web, and since it is a fairly new branch of the World Pantheist Movement
(thus sharing many beliefs with Pantheism), there are very few books specifically on
Scientific Pantheism itself. Most published literature (including encyclopedias) is
therefore written under the broader topic of "
Pantheism
," with only chapters or references dedicated to "
Scientific Pantheism
." Even Paul Harrison's book addresses Pantheism in great detail.]
[Note: all of the referenced material has been taken from the book and web
site of Paul Harrison. The author gratefully acknowledged the generous help of Paul
Harrison and Sarah Nickel, whose previous webpage on Scientific Pantheism was
instrumental in providing a model on which to build the present page.]
Created by
Paul Nolde
For Soc 257: New Religious Movements
University of Virginia
Spring Term, 2000
Last modified: 07/24/01