Waar is God? Relevante insigte in die Westers-Christelike tradisie rakende hedendaagse bevraagtekening van God se teenwoordigheid

Abstract

Where is God? Insights in the Western Christian tradition relevant to current questioning of God’s presence

presence Departing from a contemporary question, this article sets out to explore the tradition behind a problem in the modern concept of God. Three historical cross-sections from the tradition, connecting the modern reader with the Old Testament, are presented as summary of the background and development of Christian views of God (focusing on transcendence and immanence as reciprocal concepts). Traditional reflections of this kind utilize a philosophical vocabulary. Accordingly, theology and philosophy exemplify a similar development. A unilinear presentation of insights from the fields of theology and philosophy supports the conviction that all theology is based on some set of what are often are philosophical presuppositions. The aim of this exploration is, firstly, to show that as far as the debate about awareness of God is concerned, the concepts of transcendence and immanence are still highly relevant, and, secondly, to elicit reaction and further debate.