CHAPTER 2
DEFINITION OF THE TERMS
In this chapter we shall discuss of the terminology of
transcendence and immanence in order to get a clear understanding of the
terminologies of this paper.
Transcendence
The term of
Transcendence has been a distinguished history in theologians’ efforts to speak
about the reality of God.[1]
According to The Encyclopedia of Religion, Transcendence
is the quality or state of being transcendent meanwhile to transcend is to rise above or go beyond the limits. In
addition Sherman noted: “from an etymological consideration, ‘to transcend’
originally meant to climb over or across some obstacle. It then came to mean,
in a figurative sense, the experience of being overwhelmed or surpassed. Then
in somewhat curious shift of meaning, it comes to represent that which could
not be crossed over. In being stopped by an object too great to be surmounted,
one is said to have come up against something ‘transcendent’, that is, too
great to be transcended. The term is now used almost exclusively in the same of
going beyond something, or an extension beyond the limits of something.”[2]
It is clear that transcendence is a value term expressing the unique excellence
of God, because of which worship-utmost devotion or love-is the appropriate
attitude toward the being so described. [3] Transcendence
is a condition attributed to divinity as beyond the limitations characterizing
creature lines and as beyond comprehension by any created mind.[4]
Immanence
The word ‘immanence’ is
used in the modern theology to denote the presence or indwelling of God in the
world. Its opposite is ‘transcendence’ which means God’s apartness from or
elevation above the world.[5]
According to the World Book Dictionary, the definition of immanence is, the
pervading presence of God in His creation, and the definition of the
transcendence of God is to be above and independent of the physical universe.
The two attributes are opposite but complimentary, and need to be kept in the
proper balance to understand God. He is both superior to, and absent from, His
creation and yet very present and active within the universe.
[1]Sherman Anderson Ray, Historical Transcendence and Reality of God, (Grand Rapids: MI:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1975), xii.
[2]Eliade Mircea, The
Encyclopedia of Religion (New York: Macmillan Publishing House, 1987),
11:165.
[3]Ibid. p. 168
[4] Paul
Kevin, ed., Encyclopedic Dictionary
Religion, vol. o-z (Washington: Corpus Publications, 1979), 3357.
[5]Hastings James,
The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons,
1974), 7:167.
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