The God We Never Knew Panentheism

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Throughout his novel The God We Never Knew, author Marcus J. Borg defines his view of God as one of panentheistic origin. Panentheism is a belief system that affirms “both the imminence and transcendence of God” (Borg 32) by combining theism, the idea that God is a supreme being, with pantheism, the theory that God is everything. Utilizing a panentheistic method of thought allows one to understand that God is in everything and everything is in God. An expression of what Borg calls panentheism can be seen in the painting Canticle of the Sun II by John Coburn, inspired by a song composed by Francis of Assisi. Examples of panentheistic thought are found both in the painting, through its use of interconnected shapes, and in the song, through Francis …show more content…

The palette of color that Coburn utilizes in the work are earth tones that give the piece a natural, aesthetic quality. The deep greens, vivid oranges, and dark browns are all found in nature, whether it be in foliage, sunlight, or silt. Coburn painted these colors into free-flowing shapes that interact with each other in the work, as the shapes are not confined to the three boxes in the background of the painting. Instead, the shapes are in the forefront, and extend past the rectangular barriers and interact with other shapes in the work. This combination of color and shape distinctly represent panentheism as they portray the interaction of God within the world and of the world being within God. The orange circular figure, clearly representative of the sun, is providing nourishment to the green plant-like shapes beneath it, allowing for the growth of vegetation. This relationship of sun to plant is a metaphor to the relationship of God with human beings. Just as the sun helps the plants develop, God helps humans evolve and mature. The integral connection between the sun and the plant parallels the necessary relationship between God and humans, a relationship that would not be fully developed if God was not in everything and everything was not within God. The combination of color and shape within Canticle of the Sun II illuminates the subtle presence of panentheistic thought throughout the painting, allowing viewers to understand the complexity of the relationship between God and man

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