What is pandeism?

Answer

Pandeism is a blend of pantheism and deism.

Pantheism dismisses the notion of a personal God and instead holds that everything is divine—every rock, plant, animal, etc., is composed of “God.” Essentially, the universe itself is God (albeit an impersonal God), and therefore, all of nature is sacred. According to pantheism, there is no true distinction between “good” and “evil” because all ultimately is “god.” In the pantheistic perspective, humans are also “God” since they are a part of the universe.

Deism is the belief that a personal God initiated the creation of the universe but then withdrew. In essence, there is a Creator, but He is not actively involved in the universe. He has adopted a “hands-off” approach to the functioning of the universe. Deistic belief portrays God as a celestial clockmaker who crafted His clock, wound it up, and is now allowing it to run down. The “God” of deism does not interfere in the affairs of this world; He does not respond to prayers, perform miracles, etc.

Pandeism merges these two concepts. According to pandeism, the Creator formed the universe by transforming into the universe. The Creator/Universe no longer exists as an individual, personal entity separate from the cosmos. Instead, he/it is the cosmos and has “lost consciousness,” so to speak; hence, the god of pandeism is not engaged in the operation of the universe, and neither can he/it comprehend human experience at all. “God” is as close to you as the chair you’re sitting on, and he/it is just as inactive. The pandeistic god is no more concerned about you than the chair is.

The Bible presents a distinct perspective on God. God is, and always has been, a personal Being «I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. », (Isaiah 42:8). God is omnipresent—He is everywhere «forIn Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, “For we are also His offspring.” (Acts 17:28)—but, at the same time, He is separate from and transcends His creation. “Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of Your holiness and of Your glory: where is Your zeal and Your strength, the sounding of Your bowels and of Your mercies toward me? Are they restrained?” (Isaiah 63:15). God has never lost consciousness, and His control of the cosmos is absolute (Job 38:22-30). God’s care for and involvement in His creation is most evident in the ministry of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who “became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).