What is the difference between pantheism and panentheism?

Question

It seems evident that there is a strong connection between God and creation, much stronger than many fundamentalists would care to know.

However at the same time everything being God does not sound exactly right either. There is a difference between sameness and simulartity. There is a difference between essence and the source of that essence. There is a difference between the whole and it's parts.

The Hindus describe creation and God as purusha or the cosmic man who's hand stretches ten fingers beyond. I think this to be an apt analogy. It seems many get purusha and the ten fingers that stretch beyond material reality (i.e. God) confused; But nevertheless they are intricately connected with each other.

Resurrectionist, nice answer but you cheaped a bit. It got the job done though.

william r, I get you point but please edit next time your answers. It makes a big difference.

Answer 1

Panentheism (Greek words: πάν ( 'pan' ) =all, en=in and Theos=God; "all-in-God") is the view that God is immanent within all Creation or that God is the animating force behind the universe. Unlike pantheism, panentheism does not mean that the universe is synonymous with God. Instead, it holds that there is more to God than the material universe

Whatever that means.

Edit: True enough. How about in my own words, as far as I understand it:

Panantheism = God is in everything
Pantheism = Everything is in god.

Answer 2

pantheism= 1: a doctrine that equates God with the forces and laws of nature. 2: The worship and toleration of all gods.
panentheism= 1: a philosophy that the universe is a part of God, but that God nevertheless transcends or has some existence separate from the universe. 2: a belief in all gods.
God created everything through His only begotten Son (Micheil/Jesus),They are everywhere through the Spirit of God, They are NOT in every thing, or ever where of themselves. Another words God in NOT in a tree, dirt, water, etc. But through His Spirit He can be in me.

Answer 3

Here is my understanding:

Pantheism is the belief that everything is God. That rock over there... thats God. The tree is God. We are God. The universe is God.

Panentheism is the belief that we are all part of God. We are all IN God. A good way to think of it is that we are all cells in the body of God.

I figured, others gave the definitions, but thats how I see it. :) HTH!

Answer 4

i have continuously wondered what's the point of Pantheism... if "God" is fairly basically existence and it did not create itself, why supply it a attractiveness, or evaluate your self diverse? Do they think that the universe has a concepts of it really is own...