Existence precedes essence: the Philosophy 101 slogan of existentialists.
Protests from traditional philosophers: No, essence precedes existence.
Creationists say both and neither.
Essence precedes existence: God decreed what or who everything is before it is. Justification confers a status/essence, and is a pledge of what we will become.
Yet, existence precedes essence: We are becoming what we are .
We are what we are in God; our “essence” is in Him, and in Him we exist and move and have being.
And He is Alpha and Omega.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Of Roots and Adventures
I have lived in Ohio, Michigan, Georgia (twice), Pennsylvania, Alabama (also twice), England, and Idaho. I left…
Our Most Popular Articles of 2025
It’s been a big year for First Things. Our website was completely redesigned, and stories like the…
Our Year in Film & Television—2025
First Things editors and writers share the most memorable films and TV shows they watched this year.…
