All things Quote by Bernard Lonergan
“God is utterly simple; for every composite being necessarily has a cause of its own composition, and so, since God is the first principle of all things, there can be no real composition whatever in God. Now, in an utterly simple being there can be nothing that is not that simple being itself. In God, therefore, whatever really is, is the same as God, is the same as that which is, is the same as that which subsists, and hence necessarily subsists.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Insight: A Study of Human Understanding, 1957
God is described as absolutely simple, lacking any parts or composition, so everything that truly exists is identical to God and subsists in Him.
In simple terms: God is wholly simple and identical to all that exists.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the unity of being in the divine.
Themes
theology
metaphysics
ontology
philosophy
Mood
contemplative
inquisitive
Type
theological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal meditation
- academic study
- interfaith dialogue
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
simplicity
first principle
subsistence
identity
Questions to Reflect On
- How does divine simplicity affect our view of creation?
- Can we experience this unity in daily life?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that equating God with all existence dilutes distinctiveness.
