In thehistory of religionandphilosophy,deus otiosus(Latin:"inactive god" ) is the belief in acreator Godwho has entirely withdrawn from governing theuniverseafter creating it or is no longer involved in its daily operation.[1]InWestern philosophythe concept ofdeus otiosushas been associated withDeismsince the 17th century, although not a core tenet as often thought.[1]
Examples in the history of religion
edit- In theEridu Genesis,the younger godsEnlilandEnkireplace thedeus otiosusAnu.[2]
- InGreek mythology,the older gods likeUranusandGaiamake way forCronosandRheawho in turn are succeeded by the OlympiansZeusandHeraand company.[3]
- InBaltic mythology,the primordial supreme godDievasmost probably was adeus otiosus.[4]
- InChristian theology,Protestant reformerMartin Lutherused the notion ofdeus absconditus(Latin:"hidden god" ) in order to explain the mystery and remoteness ofGod.[5]
Ishvarain Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika Hinduism
editIn theNyāya-Vaiśeṣikaschool ofHinduismas well as in the otherancient Indian schools of philosophy,earlyphilosophicalandcosmologicaltheories were predominantlyatheistic or non-theistic,which postulated that all objects in the physical universe are reducible toparamāṇu(atoms) of substances whose aggregations, combinations, and interactions explained the nature of the universe.[6][7][8]In the 1st millennium CE, the Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika school added the concept ofIshvarato itsatomisticnaturalism.[6][9]These later Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika atomists retained their belief that substances are eternal, but included the belief in the existence of anIshvara,which is regarded as the eternalSupreme Beingwho is also omniscient and omnipresent.[7]
Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika atomists held thatthe world was createdwhen order was imposed on pre-existing matter: the motion of atoms was ascribed to the agency of a Supreme Being, which did not create the universeout of nothingaccording to the Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika school.[6]In the 11th century CE, the organization of atoms was cited as aproof for the existence of Godby some Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika atomists.[6]According toKlaus Klostermaier,the Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika belief in the existence of anIshvaramirrors the Western belief indeus otiosus,since both are conceived as acreator Godwho retires from the universe after having created thelaws that govern nature.[7]Klostermaier further states thatIshvaracan be understood as an eternal God who co-exists in the universe with eternal substances and atoms,describing it as a Divine Watchmakerwho "winds up the clock, and lets it run its course".[7]: 337
Similarity toDeus absconditus
editA similar concept to the one ofdeus otiosusis that ofdeus absconditus(Latin:"hidden god" ), formulated by two prominentScholasticandRoman Catholic theologiansthat lived during the Late Middle Ages:Thomas Aquinas(1225–1274)[10]andNicholas of Cusa(1401–1464).[11]The term is derived from theOld Testamentof theChristian Bible,specifically from theBook of Isaiah:"Truly, you are a God who hides himself, OhGod of Israel,the Savior "(Isaiah 45:15). Today, the Christian theological concept ofdeus absconditusis primarily associated with thetheology of Martin Lutherand laterProtestant theologians.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abDoniger, Wendy;Eliade, Mircea,eds. (1999)."DEUS OTIOSUS".Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions.Springfield, Massachusetts:Merriam-Webster.p. 288.ISBN9780877790440.OCLC1150050382.
DEUS OTIOSUS(Latin:"inactive god" ) in the history of religions and philosophy, aHigh Godwho has withdrawn from the immediate details of the government of the world. [...] InWestern philosophy,thedeus otiosusconcept has been attributed toDeism,a 17th–18th century Western rationalistic religio-philosophical movement, in its view of a non-interveningcreator of the universe.Although this stark interpretation was accepted by very few Deists, many of their antagonists attempted to force them into the position of stating that after the original act of creationGodvirtually withdrew and refrained from interfering in the processes of nature and human affairs.
- ^Eliade, Mircea(1978).A History of Religious Ideas: From the Stone Age to the Eleusinian Mysteries.Chicago:University of Chicago Press.p. 57.
- ^Werblowsky, R. J. Zwi."polytheism".encyclopedia.Retrieved10 March2022.
- ^"Chapter IV".Series 04 IVA-17.crvp.org. Archived fromthe originalon 2 September 2012.Retrieved4 January2008.
- ^abMacquarrie, John(1983)."Deus absconditus".In Richardson, Alan; Bowden, John (eds.).The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology.Louisville, Kentucky:Westminster John Knox Press.p. 155.ISBN9780664227487.
- ^abcdBerryman, Sylvia (Winter 2022)."Ancient Atomism – Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika atomism".InZalta, Edward N.(ed.).Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.The Metaphysics Research Lab,Center for the Study of Language and Information,Stanford University.ISSN1095-5054.OCLC643092515.Archivedfrom the original on 6 March 2023.Retrieved15 March2023.
- ^abcdKlostermaier, Klaus(2007).A Survey of Hinduism(3rd ed.).Albany, New York:SUNY Press.ISBN9780791470824.
- ^Collins, R. (2000).The Sociology of Philosophies.Harvard University Press. p. 836.ISBN978-0674001879.
- ^Goel, A. (1984).Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika and modern science.Indian philosophy. Sterling. pp. 149–151.ISBN978-0865902787.
- ^Weber, Max(1978).Runciman, Walter Garrison(ed.).Max Weber: Selections in Translation.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press.p. 220.ISBN0-521-29268-9.
- ^Cusanus, Nicolaus(1959). Wilpert, Paul (ed.).Opuscula I: De Deo abscondito, De quaerendo Deum, De filiatione Dei, De dato Patris luminum, Coniectura de ultimis diebus, De genesi.Nicolai de Cusa: Opera Omnia. Vol. IV.Hamburg,West Germany:Meiner.