The Immortal Gods

Chapter II - On the Gods and the World

"That a God is immutable, without Generation, eternal, incorporeal, and has no Subsistence in Place."

“And such are the requisites for an auditor of the gods. But the necessary discourses proceed as follows: the essences of the gods are neither generated; for eternal natures are without generation; and those beings are eternal who possess a first power, and are naturally void of passivity. Nor are their essences composed from bodies; for even the powers of bodies are incorporeal: nor are they comprehended in place; for this is the property of bodies: nor are they separated from the first cause, or from each other; in the same manner as intellections are not separated from intellect, nor sciences from the soul.”

This is a particularly interesting and controversial topic in the modern Hellenic Community as so many people have a New Age belief that the Gods are the product of human belief and worship. But the student of Religion must understand that the Gods are eternal and have always existed. This is best explained by the fact that the Gods exist outside of time. Therefore, the Gods exist outside of time as we perceive it, transcend all of existence, and have always existed. Because the Gods exist outside of time, they are not limited to the mortal world.

Sallustius tells us that the Gods possess a ‘first power’ and are completely devoid of passivity. This foundational force is not separate or external from the Gods but part of their being. It is because of this that the existence of the Gods is not affected by external factors. Likewise, because the Gods are not affected by external factors, they are not subject to being controlled, manipulated, or influenced by external influences. Rather the Gods are self-sufficient and act within their power and will. Because of this, the Gods are capable of effecting changes, initiating actions, and exerting their influences upon the world around us in which we reside.

Because the Gods exist outside of time and are not affected by external influences, they are not subject to the physical restraints as we are. Yet the Gods are incorporeal and reside in a higher level of existence. Since the Gods are not constrained to the material world, they are not subject to the laws of the physical world which govern us. This implies that the Gods are not constrained by the limitations of the material world and are not limited by distance or barriers, allowing for the possibility of Divine intervention, revelation, or communication.

Furthermore, since the Gods are not subject to the material world, they are not attached to a singular place within the world. They are not bound to any singular location but transcend the spatial boundaries of the world around us. Though there are sacred locations for the Gods, they are not bound to them. As our thoughts are connected to our minds, the Gods are so connected to The One. It is through this that they are not separated from the First Cause and are included in an interconnected framework that exists harmoniously in unity.

Just as The One transcends all of time and space, the Gods are intimately unified and connected through The One. This connection to the First Cause is what connects them, similar to mankind, only closer to the source. Because of this interconnection to The One, the Gods themselves share a common essence, and through the unity of The One a shared nature.

It is through this unity in The One that the Gods operate in harmony with one another. This also suggests that the roles and functions of each God complement the others allowing for harmonious interplay between the Gods. This unity shared by the Gods also implies a sense of oneness within the Realm of the Divine. It shows us that however different the individual identities the roles are within the Kosmos, the Gods are still united within their purpose, and through their connection to The One.

-Dion