Classical theism

Classical theism is the form of theism in which God is characterized as the singular Absolute Being, Absolute Self, and Ultimate Person who is the source and origin of all the other beings.

The central insight of classical theism is divine simplicity, according to which God does not consist of a combination of different elements, but is absolute and singular. There is no difference between God's essence and existence. Unlike entities, God does not contain potentiality, but is pure existential actuality, and all existence except God is in a limited state of the unlimited existence of God's absolute singularity. All existence emanates from and rests on God independently of time, for God is the timeless absolute source and ultimate condition of all existence.

Aseity
Just as other theists do, classical theists believe that God is "wholly independent of all else". That is, God's existence is not dependent on anything else and is described as a se, Latin for from himself.

Divine Simplicity
The classical theistic God is without parts. This is central to the claims of classical theists and is in contrast to other theistic philosophies. In classical theism, God cannot have features distinct from each other. All of God's characteristics are one and the same with God's nature.

Immaterial
Since classical theists believe material beings are dependent on something outside of them, the God of classical theism is immaterial.

Singular
Classical theism is monotheistic. Classical theists argue, that since God is simple, God does not belong to a category that could have more than one instance.

Immutable
The Classical theistic God is, in every way unchangeable. For according to Classical theistic approach, God is already in a state of absolute perfection.

Eternal
The Classical theistic God does not exist within time. God is eternal and cannot be measured by time. God experiences life as one singular timeless present.

Impassible
The Classical theistic God is emotionally unaffected by any change in the world. In other words, God is unable to suffer. If God were able to suffer, God's emotional state would depend on another being, hence violating aseity.

Perfection
Classical theists hold that God is a perfect being. Christian Theologian Anselm of Canterbury considered this to mean God is a being where no conceivable other being could surpass it. God's perfection includes perfect intellect, perfect wisdom, perfect knowledge, perfect will, perfect potency, and perfect benevolence.

Creation and Conservation
As is the case with other theists, classical theists hold God as the creator of all beings, conscious or unconscious. According to classical theism, God created the world ex nihilo, from no pre-existing material. Most classical theists also believe that God conserves the world, meaning that every created being is dependent on God for its existence throughout the duration of its existence. In contrast, deists who hold to deus otiosus believe that God created the universe but then withdrew from it.

In relation to the world
Classical theism holds that God is both immanent and transcendent to all of existence. In sharp contrast to pantheism, which believes that the world itself is divine, classical theism sees God as completely different from the world. For example, God is immutable while the world is mutable; God is eternal while the world is temporal.

Ontological
In the understanding of classical theism, God is conceived as the timeless absolute source and unconditional condition of all existence. The expression ho ou kinoúmenon kineî ("He who moves without being moved") used by Aristotle characterizes God in the classical theistic context, with the proposal that the movement of the entire universe depends on God. Since, within the classical theistic context, God is not only the source of all material entities but of existence overall, it is the Singular Being that is also the source of consciousness, personality, and self; it is itself conscious, self, and the Absolute Self.

The allegory of cup and integrity
The existence of a cup as a whole depends on the existence of the molecules that make up the said cup as a whole, and the existence of molecules as a whole depends on the integrity of the atoms that make up those molecules. In this context, no sum of existence can exist as a whole on its own, except for an absolute source, which is the ultimate condition of integrity, because the holistic existence of each is conditioned by a higher source that integrates itself.

It is necessary for there to be a source that is whole to itself and transmits existence to all other wholes; as all of the whole entities except the sourceless source or causeless cause are not the cause of wholeness. Therefore, only an ultimate source that is whole to itself can be responsible for the existence of the state of wholeness. This source must have absolute singularity because if it did not have simplicity and singularity, it could not have been the source of wholeness since it itself would have been the whole of different entities.

All of the higher conditions are the timeless source and condition of the lower conditions, for the integrity of the cup depends on the integrity of the molecules at every moment, and the cup cannot exist even for a second without the integrity of the molecules. In the context of a hierarchy that is independent of time, even if the being is beginningless, it would not have affected whether this existence has conditions and sources, as even if the cup is beginningless, it would have been based on the integrity of the molecules since eternity.

This allegory was set up in order to explain that in classical theism, God is the Absolute Singular Being, timeless source, origin, and uncaused cause of all states of existence, just as in integrity.

Traditions
The understanding of Platonism, which originates from Ancient Greece; the tradition of Sufism—the esoteric understanding of the Islamic religion—and the traditions of Vaishnavism and Vishishtadvaita, which are Dharmic understandings, are considered to be prominent classical theistic understandings.

Classical theistic traditions have a general understanding of devotion to God. This understanding is referred to as "bhakti" in Hinduism, "ishq" in Sufism, "devekut" in Jewish mysticism, and "pyaar" in Sikhism.

Ancient Egypt
Hermetica, the sacred text of Hermeticism that emerged in Ancient Egypt, describes God as the Absolute Person and Absolute Being who is the existential source.

Judaism
Classical Theism was introduced to Jewish Theology before the start of Christianity by Philo of Alexandria.

Islam/Sufism
Classical theism was introduced to the Islamic tradition as early as the 9th century with Al-Kindi. Al-Ghazali rejected classical theism, calling its followers "Islamic Aristotelians," and classical theism within Islam was harmed by the reaction of Islamic orthodoxy.

In Sufism—the esoteric interpretation of the Islamic religion and Qur'an—God is identified with the name "al-Haqq", which indicates Absolute Reality. According to this interpretation, existence overall is a limited and restricted reflection of God, who is the unrestricted and unlimited existence.

Scholars of Islamic Philosophy like Ibn Sīnā and Farabi argued that God, the Absolute One, is the source of all existence and that everything emanates from Him. Ibn Sīnā's interpretation of the divine is firmly rooted in classical theism, portraying God as entirely distinct through His absolute metaphysical simplicity, timeless nature, unchanging essence, and impassive character.

Christianity
Classical theism was introduced into Christianity as early as the 2nd century with Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria. Augustine of Hippo's 4th century autobiographical work, Confessions, contained influences of Platonism and is considered classically theist.

Hinduism
In Vaishnavism, a Hindu sect; the Supreme God, who is mentioned in the forms of Vishnu and Krishna, is described as sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam ("The Cause of all causes"). Therefore, in Hinduism, God is expressed by the concept of Paramātman ("Absolute Self, Ultimate Person"). Vaishnava guru Prabhupada described God as the "Eternal Father of all souls", and therefore he argued that each of the different infinite souls emanating from God are in essence siblings and are children of God.

In Hinduism, God is characterized by the concepts of Singular Absolute Being ("Parabrahman") and Absolute Self ("Paramātman"). In Rigveda, Yajurveda and Bhagavad Gita, which are the central texts of Hinduism; Ishvara, the Almighty God, is the Absolute Being and the Absolute Self, and that all existence emanates from Him.

Ishvara, the Supreme God, is mentioned by names Vishnu (विष्णु "All-Pervader") and Krishna (Sanskrit: कृष्ण) in the Yajurveda and the Bhagavad Gita.

Vedantic and Bhaktic traditions in Hinduism can be described as Classical theism.

According to the Bhagavad Gita, God is the source of everything and the entirety of existence emanates from Him.

Scholars
Classical theism has been represented by many scholars amongst many major religions; e.g. Ramanuja in Hinduism, Thomas Aquinas in Christianity, and Ibn Sīnā in Islam; and in Ancient Greek philosophy by Plato and Aristotle; and by the Ancient Egyptian scholar Hermes Trismegistus.

It has been represented by thinkers such as Philo, Plotinus, Proclus, Athenagoras of Athens, Clement of Alexandria, Basil of Caesarea, Augustine, Boethius, Cyril of Alexandria, John of Damascus, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, Al-Kindi, Al-Farabi, Anselm of Canterbury, Maimonides, Averroes, and Gottfried Leibniz.

Modern day
David Bentley Hart and Edward Feser are amongst the most important contemporary philosophers advocating for classical theism.

Quotes
"Krishna, Known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes." — Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya 21.35

" I am the source of all; from Me, all emanates. Realizing this and filled with feeling, the intelligent devote themselves to Me." — Krishna, Bhagavad Gita 10.8

"All beings emerged from Narayana. Narayana sustains all beings. Every being merges in Narayana. Narayana is the eternal principle." – Narayana Upanishad Verse 13 – 16

"He is the root and source of all." — Hermes Trismegistus, Hermetica

Books

 * Bhagavad Gita
 * The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, Bliss
 * Summa Theologica

Traditions

 * Platonism
 * Sufism
 * Vishishtadvaita
 * Vaishnavism
 * Sikhism

Scholars

 * Plato
 * Socrates
 * Aristotle
 * Ramanuja
 * Hermes Trismegistus
 * Thomas Aquinas
 * Ibn Sīnā
 * Kindi
 * Farabi
 * David Bentley Hart
 * Edward Feser