Why God Is a Person and Not an Idea | Jonathan Pageau & Fr. Stephen Freeman

Summary

The speaker discusses the intellectual awakening in one's 20s and the tendency to view God as an abstract concept rather than a personal experience. They argue that our encounters with the divine are deeply personal and particular, as seen in Christ's interactions with individuals. The speaker emphasizes the importance of particularity in understanding the transcendentals of goodness, truth, and beauty, and how Christianity revolutionized the concept of personhood, giving infinite value to the individual. They also touch on the modern disconnect from these values and the resulting ethical confusion.

Takeaways

• 😇 The concept of God as an abstract force is contrasted with the personal, experiential understanding of the divine through human consciousness.
• 🌟 Personal encounters with others are highlighted as the richest and most transformative aspects of human experience, suggesting that the divine is encountered in these interactions.
• 🔍 The idea of the divine mind or God is best represented through the image of Christ, emphasizing the importance of the particular over the abstract in understanding the divine.
• 📖 The distinction between the general and the particular is crucial; truth is only encountered in the particular, as seen in the Orthodox teaching about icons.
• 🎨 Modern art's drive towards abstraction can lead to cognitive dissonance, as it often fails to capture the generalized essence in a way that resonates with viewers.
• 🌱 The term 'transcendent particular' is introduced to describe God as the ultimate particular, being unique and beyond generalization.
• 🤝 Communion and unity are found in the particular, not the abstract, as seen in the personal interactions of Christ with individuals, recognizing their unique identities.
• 👥 The reduction of people to abstractions can lead to dehumanization and violence, whereas love and forgiveness are found in recognizing the particularity of individuals.
• 📝 The importance of names in signifying personal identity is underscored, as seen in the biblical accounts of Jesus calling individuals by name, revealing their unique value.
• 🌐 The Incarnation is presented as the key to understanding the Christian revolution, where the infinite becomes particular, and the particular is revealed to have infinite value.
• 💡 The ethical implications of recognizing the infinite value of the particular are discussed, emphasizing the importance of individual worth and the Christian ethic of love and sacrifice.

Q & A

What is the speaker's view on the concept of God as an abstract force?

The speaker finds it strange to consider God as merely an abstract force, arguing that our experience of reality is through our human consciousness, and the highest and richest encounters we have are with other people, suggesting a more personal and transformative understanding of God.

Why does the speaker believe that the image of the infinite should be connected to our personal experience?

The speaker argues that since our world view is shaped by our human consciousness, the concept of the infinite, including God, should resonate with our personal experiences, which are inherently connected to our consciousness and interactions with others.

What is the significance of Christ in the speaker's perspective on the divine?

Christ represents the best image of God for the speaker because He embodies the divine in a human form, making the concept of God relatable and understandable within the context of human experience and personal encounters.

What is the importance of the distinction between the general and the particular in the speaker's discussion?

The speaker emphasizes that truth and understanding can only be encountered in the particular, not in the general. This is highlighted in the discussion about icons in religious teachings and the modern art's attempt to capture the generalized, which often leads to cognitive dissonance.

Why does the speaker criticize modern art's drive towards abstraction?

The speaker criticizes modern art's abstraction because it often results in works that are so generalized that they lack clear meaning, leading viewers to question whether they are indeed art and failing to convey a particular truth or experience.

What is the term the speaker uses to describe God's particularity and transcendence?

The speaker uses the term 'transcendent particular' to describe God, indicating that God is the ultimate particular entity because there is only one of Him, yet He transcends all particularity.

How does the speaker relate the concept of particularity to our interactions with others?

The speaker suggests that we find love, forgiveness, and communion in the particularity of our interactions with others, as it is through these personal encounters that we truly understand and connect with one another.

What is the significance of knowing someone's name in the speaker's discussion of personal encounters?

Knowing someone's name signifies a personal encounter and recognition of their individuality. The speaker uses examples from the Bible, such as Jesus calling out Zacchaeus by name, to illustrate the importance of personal recognition in forming meaningful connections.

How does the speaker connect the concept of particularity to the Christian understanding of ethics?

The speaker connects particularity to Christian ethics by stating that each human life is a unique and unrepeatable particular entity with infinite value, which should be respected, loved, and potentially sacrificed for, reflecting the incarnation's impact on ethical thinking.

What does the speaker suggest about the loss of Christian tradition in modern secular ethics?

The speaker suggests that when the Christian tradition is removed from the modern secular context, the grounding in particularity and the understanding of the infinite value of the individual are lost, leading to a rise in collectivism and a devaluation of human life.

How does the speaker view the role of the Incarnation in shaping our ethical understanding?

The speaker views the Incarnation as a pivotal moment that gave infinite value to the particular, transforming our ethical understanding to recognize the unique and infinite worth of each individual, and shaping our approach to love, sacrifice, and the value of human life.

Outlines

00:00

😇 The Personal Experience of the Divine

This paragraph discusses the personal nature of our encounter with the divine, challenging the notion that God can be reduced to an abstract concept. The speaker emphasizes that our consciousness is inherently human, and thus our understanding of the divine is grounded in our interactions with other people, who are the most transformative aspect of our reality. The paragraph also touches on the idea that the image of the infinite, or God, is best represented through the personal experience of Christ, rather than an abstract notion. The speaker argues for the importance of recognizing the particular over the general in our search for truth, using the example of religious icons to illustrate that we can only represent the divine in a personal, human form.

05:01

🌟 The Value of the Particular in Spirituality and Art

The second paragraph delves into the significance of the particular in both spirituality and art. It contrasts the abstract with the concrete, suggesting that true communion and understanding come from engaging with the particular, such as individual people and personal encounters with the divine. The speaker uses the example of Jesus' interactions with specific individuals, like Zacchaeus and Simon the Pharisee, to highlight the importance of personal connection. The paragraph also touches on modern art's struggle with abstraction and the cognitive dissonance it can create, advocating for the representation of the particular as a means of expressing the divine and the human experience. The concept of the 'transcendent particular' is introduced, suggesting that God is both utterly unique and the ultimate particular, known to us through Jesus Christ.

10:01

🛍️ The Ethical Implications of Valuing the Particular

In this paragraph, the discussion shifts to the ethical implications of valuing the particular, drawing a connection between the Christian understanding of the incarnation and the inherent value of every individual. The speaker argues that the recognition of each person's unique worth has its roots in Christian thought, where the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ elevated the status of the individual. This has led to a shift in ethical thinking, where the particular is seen as having infinite value, which is a cornerstone of Christian ethics. The paragraph also addresses the modern tendency to revert to collectivism and devalue the individual, suggesting that this leads to a loss of ethical grounding and a rise in ideologies that treat people as mere numbers or tools. The speaker warns of the dangers of losing the connection to traditional Christian virtues and the importance of maintaining a focus on the value of the particular in ethical considerations.

Keywords

💡Intellectual Awakening

Intellectual awakening refers to a period of significant growth or change in one's intellectual or philosophical understanding. In the video, it is mentioned as a time when people in their 20s often encounter new ideas and beliefs, such as redefining their concept of God, which is central to the speaker's exploration of abstract versus personal religious experiences.

💡Abstract Force

An abstract force is a concept that is not concrete or material but is understood through thought rather than direct perception. The script discusses how some people view God as an abstract force, contrasting with the speaker's argument that our experience of reality is inherently personal and cannot be fully captured by abstract notions.

💡Human Consciousness

Human consciousness is the state of awareness, perception, and thought of an individual. The video emphasizes that our understanding of the world is filtered through our individual consciousness, which shapes our interactions and experiences, including our spiritual encounters.

💡Ontological Aspect

Ontological aspect refers to the nature of being or existence. The speaker argues that the highest ontological aspect, or the concept of the infinite, should be connected to our personal experiences rather than being an abstract idea, illustrating the importance of the personal in understanding the divine.

💡Divine Mind

Divine mind, in the context of the video, suggests a spiritual or theological concept where God is perceived as a mind or consciousness that is beyond human comprehension. The speaker finds the idea of God as Christ to be a more relatable and sensible image of the divine, rooted in personal experience.

💡Transcendent Particular

Transcendent particular is a term used by the speaker to describe God as the ultimate particular being, unique and singular, yet transcending ordinary categories. This concept emphasizes the importance of recognizing the divine in the individual and specific, rather than in the abstract or general.

💡Particularity

Particularity refers to the quality of being specific or individual. The video script discusses how love, forgiveness, and communion are found in the particular, highlighting the importance of individuality in ethical and spiritual contexts, and contrasting with the dehumanizing effects of abstraction.

💡Incarnation

Incarnation, in Christian theology, is the belief that God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. The speaker uses this concept to illustrate the idea that the infinite (God) has entered into the particular (humanity), giving infinite value to the individual and the personal.

💡Collectivism

Collectivism is the emphasis on group identity and interests over individual ones. The script warns of the dangers of collectivism when it overshadows individuality, leading to a loss of personal value and potentially to dehumanizing ideologies.

💡Particularity in Ethics

Particularity in ethics refers to the recognition of the unique value and worth of each individual. The speaker argues that Christian ethics, influenced by the concept of incarnation, places high value on the individual person, emphasizing the importance of personal encounters and relationships.

💡Revelation

Revelation, in the context of the video, refers to the disclosure or unveiling of divine truth. The speaker mentions the biblical book of Revelation and the idea of God revealing a 'new name' to individuals, symbolizing a deep personal knowledge and connection with the divine.

Highlights

The concept that an intellectual awakening in one's 20s often involves encountering people who view God as an abstract force rather than a personal experience.

The idea that our consciousness and human experience limit our understanding of reality to the world we perceive through it.

The transformative power of human interaction and its role in making us more human, as opposed to abstract concepts.

The ontological argument that the image of the infinite should be connected to our personal experiences and consciousness.

The notion of the divine mind and God being best represented by Christ, making sense in the context of personal experience.

The importance of distinguishing between general truths and particular encounters, as we only know anything in its particular form.

The Orthodox teaching about icons, emphasizing that only particular beings like Christ can be depicted, not abstract divine nature.

Modern art's drive towards abstraction and the cognitive dissonance it can create when people cannot recognize or understand it as art.

The argument that communion and transformation occur through the particular, not the abstract.

The term 'transcendent particular' used to describe God as the ultimate particular entity, being unique and beyond generalization.

The observation that love, forgiveness, and union are found in the particular, not the abstract, using interpersonal relationships as examples.

The critique of reducing people to abstractions as a precursor to violence and the importance of recognizing particularity to prevent it.

Christ's personal interactions with individuals, such as Zacchaeus, as examples of recognizing and valuing the particular.

The idea that knowing someone's name represents a deep personal recognition, as seen in the Revelation's promise of a new name.

St. Maximus the Confessor's view on the harmony between spiritual essence and particularity in the context of incarnation.

The Christian revolution in understanding the transcendentals (goodness, truth, beauty) as being encountered in the particular.

The concept that the word 'person' as we understand it today is a Christian invention, emphasizing the value of the individual.

The ethical implications of incarnation, suggesting that every human life is a unique particularity with infinite value.

The modern challenge of maintaining the value of the particular in a secular context where Christian tradition has been sidelined.

G.K. Chesterton's observation that when tradition is abandoned, virtues can become distorted and lead to chaos.

Transcripts

you know when you when you start to have

a kind of let's say intellectual

awakening in your 20s often you meet all

these kinds of people who even if they

can believe in God they have this idea

okay I believe in God but I I believe

God is more like an abstract force is

more like like something that's like you

said something that's abstract something

that's an idea

but that is just not our experience of

of reality because we are we view the

world through our own consciousness our

own human consciousness we don't know of

any other world besides the one that we

can view through this human

consciousness and we encounter you know

the highest thing we encounter is always

other people you know the more the

richest thing the most the thing that

can transform us the most they can make

us like you said more human are always

other people and so I always find it

strange when people think that the

highest aspect would say the highest

ontological aspect that you know that

the image of the infinite would be

something that's abstract like no the

image of the infinite has to be

connected to our experience of the world

which is a personal experience which is

a experience that is through

consciousness so the the idea all that

when you start to see it that way the

notion of the divine mind or that that

God is you know the best the best image

of God is Christ then it makes it makes

so much sense in it you know it doesn't

it doesn't seem so strange at all

anymore well something I think that's

important is the distinction between the

general and the particular of the truth

is is you can't ever ever ever know

anything in general we only encounter

anything in a particular and so for

instance in the father's in teaching

about icons they said you cannot paint

an icon of say the divine nature right

what would that look like then it's like

we why can we paint an icon of Christ

because he became a man not man because

you can't just sort of paint man you

have to paint

a man a woman you know a particular

thing and and there's actually been a

drive in certain aspects of modern art

to in fact try when we talk about

abstraction to somehow another capture

or express the generalized and in a way

the more we do that the people begin to

have this sort of cognitive dissonance

in which they're all standing at staring

at something that no one knows what it

is and they're thinking even to

themselves is that art and well it can

be things about it I mean my youngest

daughter is an artist you know I

appreciate that you can have you know I

mean of course on the other hand I mean

you know Picasso can draw a line and it

just has genius about it and you'd have

to look at it and figure out why that is

so his lines are better than my lines

but on the other hand you finally

abstraction just fades away into nothing

it is the strange act of communion is

that we discover in the particular

something that unites us with that which

is but beyond it I I like a term that

I've used in referring to God as calling

him the transcendent particular I mean

he's he's he's actually the ultimate

particular because there's only one of

him there's there's not two that there

can't be general God because there's

only hey God one God and so he's utterly

but if he's so utterly in transcendently

particular you know and so he makes

himself known to us in the god man Jesus

Christ and in a way that's also a

revelation in me I am NOT humanity I'm

just Stephen and you know and this is

how we encounter each other and I'm you

know there's the old saying I love

humanity it's people I can't stand

exactly no you meet that oh you

encounter that all the times like I love

the poor yeah well I hear this I mean

people are gonna attack some group that

are gonna attack blacks are going to

attack

old privileged white men whatever like

that I'm thinking well which one of them

I mean when we reduce each other to two

abstractions that's actually first off

you have to generalize anybody in order

to kill them we might get very difficult

to kill particular people because

particular people are always not quite

what you imagine I have to actually sort

of stigmatize you and paint you as

something broader that I can just paste

my hate on make you stand as a fault

symbol for all that's wrong with your

you know your ID your race your nation

or whatever that way this is always a

ticket to violence we find love in the

particular we find forgiveness in the

particular we find Union and communion

with the particular the other but you

think about Christ and his interactions

there were you know in some ways Israel

at the time was a highly politicized

thing you had your groups your new

Pharisees and Sadducees and other groups

and then you had the you know those who

were religious and those who were

considered the unrighteous you know

prostitutes and tax collectors and

things that way and he he not only you

know they talk about him meeting and

eating with prostitutes and tax

collectors and these other near the

wells but more amazing that than that I

think about it we know some of their

names I mean for instance there's a

short little man in the town of Jericho

named Zacchaeus who is a tax collector

and hated by everybody in town

the amazing thing is I mean how obscure

is that 2,000 years ago some dude named

Zacchaeus and we know his name why

because Jesus called his name out and

said I'm gonna go home and eat with you

today

he didn't just sort of say you know some

general invitation to all local tax

collectors come and we'll have a meal he

goes Zacchaeus and it's interesting

Jesus is walking along sees this guy in

a tree and he knows his name and he says

Zacchaeus come down not you and the tree

come down but that kiyose you come down

and we have this consistently the

encounters that are highly personal and

which he sees the person not for their

sin not for their brokenness

not even for their their larger

commitments like Pharisee or whatever

else he just sees them we know the name

of a Pharisee Simon whose house he ate

in and a woman watched Jesus feet we

know the name of the Pharisee a

Nicodemus and of others we know them by

name

because this was personal encounters in

the book of Revelation talk about art in

the book of Revelation one of the

sweetest things in it of the vision of

heaven is I will write a new name on you

or like I will reveal to you the you

know the truth of who you really are

I will tell you your name and it's sort

of like and when you hear it I think

that the sense would be of at last that

the complete revelation of the truth of

your being would be made known in the

name God speaks to you that is you know

utterly who you are and and I mean a

name is is in that sense uniquely

personal you you walk into the room you

say Steven you have my attention and so

there's this this particular but the

particular isn't to reduce things it's

just it's actually the only way we ever

have communion with anything yeah you

know it has to be yes I think you see it

like I mean one of my favorite let's say

minute paraphrase but one of my favorite

quotes from from st. Maximus the

Confessor is when he talks about you

know he says you know as the person you

know even a person who is discovering

let's say the spiritual essences of

something and he sees these spiritual

essences that they separate from the

particulars he sees that no there's no

contradiction they're not opposed to

each other they're actually they're

actually made to be together like that's

the whole that's the whole key of the

Incarnation is that we're not called to

this kind of you know this abstract

world but we're call

to encounter the world as a embodied

reality and so yes and I think I mean

it's very it's very mysterious it's very

mysterious when you think of it in terms

of the totality you know we think we

talked about Revelation we think of it

in terms of this kind of final

revelation when everything is ring comes

together it's it's difficult to fathom

how this particularity is all going to

come together but but we can you know in

our experience like we've been talking

about in weeks

in our experience that's how we

experience it that's how we experience

the world maybe you can say that to

degree the great revolution

intellectually I can say it that way in

Christianity was I mean already in Plato

there is a discussion of the

transcendentals that is goodness truth

and beauty and there's a recognition

that this is important this is what we

should be talking about what happens in

Christianity is that language gets taken

up but there is a recognition that the

transcendentals are in fact to be

encountered in the particular and that

becomes the revolution in which I mean

for instance the word person as we know

it today is a Christian invention you

were just as you had a thing you were a

helot you were a slave you were a

something and suddenly but you become a

name of every person of equal value B we

couldn't say that all people who

admitted created equal

without that revolution having occurred

it gave infinite value to the particular

whereas prior to that there was only

infinite value to the infinite and in a

way you can't you can't get it in your

hands

and in the Incarnation and and what that

sets in motion in the life of

understanding is a drive towards I mean

when God becomes man the infinite

interest the particular and the

particular you know is revealed to have

infinite value and that's a complete

change but nothing is just dispensable

everything has infinite value and that's

you know that's really the drive of

Christian ethics is understanding that a

human life is a uniquely particular

thing unrepeatable with infinite value

and worth sacrificing loving I mean it

sacrificing for loving doing all all

that and that is only you know that

without that I'm only speaking vague

generalities it's only in the particular

that we encounter goodness truth and

beauty so that's that's really the root

of incarnation for us yeah right and I

think that it's almost as if we haven't

completely we haven't completely

understood the ramifications of that

until today you know we haven't it seems

when you think about it it just creates

such a there's it creates such a jam in

your mind you know to think about it

that way but it also intuitively there's

also something very deeply intuitive

that makes us that makes it that it has

become the core of our ethical thinking

I mean like we talk about this all the

time that even now the the secular

ethics they are based in this

incarnation of thinking even almost

without without knowing at this notion

of this the value in the particular and

this and the value of the of the

individual is something which has come

through the incarnation but now you know

in the modern project we've seen also

how it has slipped aside when

Christianity is completely not out of

the of the arena then all of a sudden

that has to go to and then this collect

this crazy collectivism just just

appears and just takes over and then

human beings become numbers they become

just you know fodder for whatever

ideology you you're you have a GK

Chesterton said that when the the

tradition gets jettisoned like the

Christian tradition the the consensus of

earlier times its jettisoned he said

it's not that virtue disappears from the

world he said but what you get is the

virtues gone mad

and so you know most of the people out

there

are actually basing whatever they're

thinking on some version of the

traditional Christian virtues but

they've lost their connection you know

to to one another and their grounding in

the particular and in these things of

life and they just you know they run

wild yeah and I'm gonna drive us crazy

and so you have competing virtues you

have you know the love of the love of

tribe versus you know other kinds of

things and and it makes us crazy

[Music]

[Applause]

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