📘 Lexicon Entry: Divine Presence

Short Definition
God’s active presence with creation that involves both transcendence beyond creation and immanent involvement with it through non-competitive relationship
Definition
Divine Presence represents God’s choice to be with humanity without dominating or being absorbed by creation. This concept challenges both deistic separation of God from creation and pantheistic identification of God with creation, offering instead a non-competitive understanding where divine presence enables rather than competes with human agency. Grounded in biblical witness to God’s presence through covenant, Incarnational Presence, and Spirit, divine presence addresses Practical Atheism by emphasizing God’s active engagement with creation, challenges Prosperity Materialism by redefining blessing as relationship rather than material success, and counters Authoritarian Spirituality by demonstrating divine presence that enables rather than dominates human freedom.
Category
Theological Alternative
Keywords
Divine presence, transcendence, immanence, incarnation, non-competitive agency, covenant, pneumatology
Citation Guide
Geevarghese-Uffman, Craig. “Divine Presence.” *Political Theology Lexicon*. https://www.commonlifepolitics.com/p/lexicon. Accessed [date].
Orthodox Alternatives
Divine presence involves both transcendence beyond creation and immanent involvement with it
God’s presence enables rather than competes with human agency and freedom
Divine presence is relational rather than merely spatial or temporal
Incarnation reveals divine presence as self-giving love rather than dominating power
Mutated Position
Divine presence conceived as competitive with human agency, reduction to human feeling or projection, or instrumentalization for personal advancement and control
Key Characteristics
Non-competitive relationship between divine and human agency
Mediated through creation, scripture, sacraments, and community without being contained
Relational rather than merely metaphysical understanding
Enabling rather than dominating human freedom and responsibility
Theological Foundations
Hebrew scriptures developing divine presence through temple, covenant, and prophetic tradition
Patristic theology articulating divine presence through trinitarian and incarnational doctrine
Medieval synthesis integrating divine presence with philosophical categories of being
Modern theology recovering immanent divine presence against deistic distance
Biblical Foundation
God’s presence with Israel in tabernacle and temple (Exodus 40:34-38)
Incarnation as "God with us" (Matthew 1:23)
Spirit’s presence in believers (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Promise of God’s continual presence (Matthew 28:20)
Contemporary Expression
Liberation theology emphasizing divine presence with the oppressed and marginalized
Contemplative movements recovering experiential dimensions of divine presence
Process theology articulating divine presence as compassionate involvement in creation
Environmental theology recognizing divine presence throughout creation
Academic Research
Samuel Wells articulates divine presence through “being with” framework emphasizing presence over problem-solving
Karl Barth develops theology of divine presence through self-revelation rather than natural theology
Jürgen Moltmann explores divine presence through suffering and crucifixion
Hans Urs von Balthasar articulates divine presence through theological aesthetics and kenotic love
Key Authors
Path Navigation
Related Primary Concepts: Being With applies divine presence to human relationships
Theological Alternatives: Trinitarian Presence grounds divine presence in trinitarian communion
Key Mutations Addressed: Practical Atheism through emphasis on active divine engagement
Contemporary Applications: Contemplative spirituality, liberation theology, environmental theology
Last Updated
May 25, 2025
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*This entry is part of the Political Theology Lexicon, accessible exclusively to subscribers. View the complete lexicon to explore related concepts and the full theoretical framework.*
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