Things Exist Quote by David Bentley Hart
““God so understood is not something posed over against the universe, in addition to it, nor is he the universe itself. He is not a “being,” at least not in the way that a tree, a shoemaker, or a god is a being; he is not one more object in the inventory of things that are, or any sort of discrete object at all. Rather, all things that exist receive their being continuously from him, who is the infinite wellspring of all that is, in whom (to use the language of the Christian scriptures) all things live and move and have their being.””
About This Quote
The passage describes a non-anthropomorphic concept of God as the continuous source of existence, not a discrete being among objects.
In simple terms: God as the infinite source of being.
Key Takeaway
Recognize existence as a continuous flow from a divine source.
Themes
theology
metaphysics
existence
continuity
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
theological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic lecture
- spiritual meditation
- theological debate
- personal contemplation
Key Concepts
philosophy
religious studies
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this view change your perception of reality?
- Can this idea coexist with personal faith?
A Different Perspective
Such abstract concepts can be difficult to relate to everyday experience.
![“As a man is, so is his God; therefore God was so often an object of mockery. [Ger., Wie einer ist, so ist sein Gott, Darum ward Gott so oft zu Spott.]” quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b23/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_god_as-a-man-is-so-is-his-god-therefore-god_1502803.jpg)
