What is the doctrine of the impassibility vs. passibility of God?

Answer

To be “passible” means to be “capable of feeling, particularly suffering” or to be “susceptible to emotion.” When theologians discuss God’s “passibility” versus His “impassibility,” they are addressing His ability to respond emotionally versus a perceived lack of empathy for His creatures.

The concept of the passibility of God relates to the theology of the “suffering” of God. Does God experience suffering? Can He genuinely feel emotional pain? Some theologians view the impassibility of God as one of His attributes, alongside His immutability, omniscience, or eternality. They perceive God as “apathetic” in that He exists beyond human emotion and remains unaffected by it. Others regard God’s passibility as one of His essential attributes—they assert that God does indeed share in our suffering.

Both perspectives on this matter risk taking things to extremes. When the doctrine of divine impassibility is pushed too far, it leads to deism, which portrays God as distant, cold, and unresponsive—a God who chooses not to engage with humanity. Conversely, an extreme view of divine passibility results in open theism, which portrays God as lacking foreknowledge and being as surprised as we are by unfolding events.

Supporters of the doctrine of God’s impassibility point to God’s immutability (His unchanging nature). Their argument is that if God “suffers” in response to pain, then has He not undergone a change? Those advocating for impassibility do not dispute that God experiences emotions; instead, they maintain that God’s emotions are deliberate and purposeful, not automatic reactions to earthly events. Furthermore, proponents of God’s impassibility argue that His absolute power and sovereignty preclude His ability to suffer: one who suffers must be subject to the circumstances causing the suffering, and therefore, God, being unbound, cannot suffer.

However, many Scripture passages argue for the doctrine of God’s passibility, indicating that God does respond emotionally to events on earth. It’s evident when reading Scripture that God feels compassion for His people «For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. », (Isaiah 14:1); that He feels wrath against sin «There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; Neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.», (Psalm 38:3); and that He is pained by the rejection of His love and grace (Luke 19:41-42). Jesus, who is “the exact representation” of God’s being «who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;», (Hebrews 1:3), wept at Lazarus’s tomb «Jesus wept.», (John 11:35). Jesus, who showed us the Father (John 14:8-10), often demonstrated His passibility. We see this in the description of Him as our Great High Priest who is able to “empathize with our weaknesses” «For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.», (Hebrews 4:15).Prophets foretold that Jesus would be “a man of suffering, and familiar with pain” «He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.», (Isaiah 53:3).

Similarly, God’s children are called to share in each other’s suffering. Paul, writing from prison, urged the church to “remember my chains” «The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.», (Colossians 4:18). The author of Hebrews instructed the church to “continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering” «Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.», (Hebrews 13:3). It is this solidarity in suffering that truly defines empathy. “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” «Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.», (Romans 12:15). By sharing in each other’s sorrow, God’s people reflect the empathy of God.

Those who advocate for the empathy of God emphasize that it is God’s eternal, divine compassion that leads Him to engage with His creation and willingly allow His heart to be moved by the suffering of His people. God is indeed transcendent, yet He is not detached. Biblical declarations such as “God is love” «He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.», (1 John 4:8) reveal a fervent God who hears our cries for help.

«For the LORD hears the cries of the poor and does not ignore his prisoners.», (Psalm 69:33), demonstrates compassion «When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.», (Mark 6:34), and understands our suffering firsthand «For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.», (Hebrews 2:18).

The concept of the passibility of God does not imply that God is capricious, experiences mood swings, or lacks control over His reactions. God is never at the mercy of circumstances. The idea of passibility does affirm that God is emotionally connected to His creation; He is engaged because He cares.