He is above all things and within all things (tanzih and tashbih). Both distant and near. Every Sacred Tradition which remains holistic contains both perspectives. To quote a Native American sage,
"We should know that all things are works of the Great Spirit (Wakan-Tanka). We should know that He is within all things... and even more important we should know that He is above all these things and peoples"
- Black Elk
The Abrahamic traditions usually emphasise distance before nearness. God is firstly understood as a distant Reality above and this perspective demands awe and servitude. "The fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). We live in an age which "abhors the idea of fear or submission to that which is high exalted above our human littleness. Humility or obedience is condemned as a 'lack of self-esteem'"1 and people today speak frequently in terms of empowerment. This has lead to many people rejecting the idea of an authoritarian God who issues commands from above and expects to be obeyed.
The New Age: "Spirituality without religion"
Notes
* Divine distance precedes Divine nearness in Islam. Similarly, servanthood ('ubudiyya) precedes vicegerency (khalifa).
* For further reading, please click on article titled "Shariah and Tariqa: Religion and Spirituality" from the homepage.
References
1. Charles le Gai Eaton, Remembering God: Reflections on Islam, page 240-1
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