What does it mean to say God is "Transcendent and Immanent"

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Anselm33

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I was reading an article by Andrej Gribb, a Russian mathematician, on quantum origins of the universe and quantum logic, and in it he mentioned that the Orthodox view of God is that he is “transcendent and Immanent”, and so one doesn’t question how God created the Universe. Is the Eastern Catholic view of God the same as the Orthodox? And what, in the context of God creating the Universe, does “transcendent and immanent” mean or imply.

Thank you.

Anselm
 
From Dictionary.com:

tran·scend·ent tran-SEN-duhnt]
–adjective
  1. going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing; exceeding.
  2. superior or supreme.
  3. Theology (transcendence of the Deity) transcending the universe, time, etc.
  4. Philosophy
    a. Scholasticism - above all possible modes of the infinite.
    b. Kantianism - transcending experience; not realizable in human experience.
    c. (in modern realism) referred to, but beyond, direct apprehension; outside consciousness.
Origin:
1300–50; ME < L trānscendere to surmount, equiv to trāns- trans- + -scendere, comb. form of scandere, to climb

im·ma·nent IM-uh-nuhnt]

–adjective
  1. remaining within; indwelling; inherent.
  2. Philosophy (Immanence of a mental act) taking place within the mind of the subject and having no effect outside of it.
  3. Theology (Immanence of the Deity) indwelling the universe, time, etc.
Origin:
1525–35; < LL immanent- (s. of immanēns ), prp. of immanēre, to stay in, equiv. to im- + man ( ēre ) to stay + -ent; see remain

I understand God’s transcendence and immanence to refer as His being beyond what the universe can limit, but dwelling within the universe. The universe cannot contain Him, for He is beyond and outside it, yet He chooses to live within it.

If God is beyond the universe and dwells within it, it only makes sense that He created it, for He displays the degree of mastery over the universe that would be reserved to its Creator.

I don’t know if this is what the Fathers had in mind, but it’s how I understand it.
 
Thanks RC for a clear and meaningful definition. Do you know if your understanding is part of the Eastern Catholic tradition?
anselm
 
My personal translation would be “Beyond and Within”.
 
Anselm33 said:
Do you know if your understanding is part of the Eastern Catholic tradition?
Click to expand...
It’s probably pretty close; the Eastern tradition focuses pretty strongly on the mystery of God, and His transcendence is a major part of thatt.
 
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