Episode:Experiential Deity—Supreme and Ultimate (Part 5)

From Symmetry of Soul


There is but one uncaused Cause in the whole universe; God is truly omnipotent. But he is not omnificent: he does not personally do all that is done. To advocate the omnificence of primal Deity would be equal to disenfranchising well-nigh a million Creator Sons of Paradise, not to mention the innumerable hosts of various other orders of concurring creative assistants.

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Keywords: Urantia, Omnipotence, Omnificence, Volition, Pantheism

Summary by Kermit

Commentary after Review

To clarify, the vertical chain of causation described in the summary--spirit dominates mind, dominates matter--this hierarchical arrangement of the threefold elements of cosmic reality is valid only in light of the purposing influence of spirit pattern: personality. Independent of the influence of the personality purposing of matter and spirit as cosmic reality substances, matter and spirit are brought into functional association via the superadditive consequence of mind activity and energy.

Failure to recognize the cosmic physics principles governing the universe function of the triune reality components apart from the influence of personality risks overplaying the significance and scope one’s personal participation in cosmic events. Such aggrandized assessment of self-importance is most dangerous! Note the possible consequences of attempting to direct the absolute Father love discovered in the inner life towards brothers and sisters in the outer life without the transformative totality attitude of the Mother.

118:6 Omnipotence and Omnificence

Noting further evidence of the philosophic quality of the revelation we encounter the word omnificence, meaning all doing.

Listen to the brief etymological explanation of the word pair omnipotence and omnificence. In recognizing the truth of the omnipotence of primal Deity we must also recognize that such primal Deity has delegated creator functions and responsibilities to Deity subordinates in staggering numbers to say nothing of the free-willness bestowed on even more creature offspring with the gift of personality. Remember the emphasis on doing in the second sentence of the first paper in our current arc. “With God the Supreme, achievement is the prerequisite to status—one must do something as well as be something.” God certainly is not omnificent.

This section is a complex philosophic exploration of very advanced material. Listen to our discussion unpacking the significance of the final clause of the first paragraph. “...but the volitional acts of God the Supreme are not the personal doings of God the Infinite.” The discussion includes references which relate the terms God the Infinite, Father-Infinite, and I AM (without the article “the”). This all requires some facility with recognizing and thinking simultaneously within the Deity and Reality perspectives.

A further discussion of the terms will, volition, and choice in relation to the agency of personality unfolded. Personality represents potential will, which when exercised (identified with a mindal self) becomes volition applied to a specific instance, a choice. Further, choice produces a decision form in the mind. And such is the personalization of a mindal self.

Also, catch the discussion which reconciles the plurality intimated in the phrase “unique, original, and absolute First Causes”, with the one uncaused cause in the whole universe. This involves the recognition of a superabsolute Father-I AM exhibiting finality of volition, while antecedent to the absolute First Causes of the Absolute Spirit (the Eternal Son), and the Absolute Mind (the Conjoint Actor). Note the Father, being rooted in the antecedent Father-I AM, can logically be recognized as the volitional Absolute, primal to the other two Absolute persons with respect to volition.

Considering mortal man’s free-will choosing, while not absolute it is relatively final on the finite level with respect to destiny. Such free-will is limited by the nature of being inherent in mortal personality. And man can certainly choose to ascend in the universe because such a choice coincides with the divine will, thus ensuring success.

The final paragraph of the section is one of our greatest hits. The revelators close the book on the consequences of ascribing omnificence to Deity as an embrace of the colossal error of capital-P Pantheism. In essence, accepting the literalness of God the Infinite, whereby God is the personification of ALL. Thus all cosmic phenomena are reduceable to abstractions from the One. And in so doing negating the free-will of man.

It was also noted that in the earlier printings of The Urantia Book “pantheism” was capitalized, but subsequently replaced by lower case by the Standard Reference Text Committee which was formed in 2007.