God is Pantheistic Essay examples -- Literary Analysis, Epictetus

Epictetuss graven image is pantheistBecause his teachings can be taken in different ways, Epictetuss view of beau ideal is unclear. It is unclear whether Epictetuss paragon is a pantheistic god who is one with the universe or whether his god is a private god that answers prayers and watches over his people comparable the god of monotheism. While there is little doubt that Epictetus views god as exclusively powerful and all good, I will argue that his texts in any case indicate that Epictetus views god as a pantheistic god possessing no(prenominal) of the shaping characteristics of a personal god.There is a significant deviance between what Epictetus means by being all good and what monotheism defines as all good. What monotheism defines as all good is perfect morals go Epictetus defines the accredited nature of good as intelligence, knowledge, and right reason (Discourses 82). According to Epictetus, the unbent nature of good cannot be put up in irrational creatures s uch as animals and plants. Rather, it can only be found in what is rational (Discourses 83). Only what possesses grounds can hurt the true nature of good and since the true nature of god is where the true nature of good is, one can only conclude that the true nature of god is rationality (Discourses 81). Epictetuss god does not merely possess these qualities, but he is goodness, he is rationality itself. That is the defining difference between the good of Epictetuss god and that of a personal god. The texts make it clear that Epictetus sees god as all powerful. He describes god as being the journeyman of the universe and that no one could possibly possess power equal to god (Discourses 610, 1411). This could be interpreted as a personification of god because being an artificer and the ab... ...e of ourselves, but simply to preserve ourselves as nature intended (Discourses 823). Epictetuss god is not a caring, personal god as a cursory glance at the texts might have soul believ e. While at first glance it may seem as though Epictetuss god appears to be a personal god, a closer look at the texts reveal that his god is a pantheistic one who is not at all like the personal god of monotheism. His god is one with the universe and the true essence of his god is the rationality of intelligence, right reason, and knowledge while a personal god is a separate entity from the world but cares and watches over from above. Although both Epictetuss god and the personal god of monotheism are both all good and all powerful, they are so in very different ways. Epictetuss god is clearly a pantheistic god possessing none of the traits which define a personal god.