emanationism

Emanationism refers to metaphysical theories in which all things originate from a single, ultimate source through a process of emanation rather than creation ex nihilo. Reality is typically described as a hierarchy of levels that flow from the source and remain dependent on it, rather than as discrete acts of separate creation.

In Neoplatonism, for example, the One emanates the Nous (Intellect), which in turn emanates the World Soul and, finally, the material world. The emanation is considered necessary and continuous, not a free act of will.

In Gnostic and related systems, emanations are often personified powers or beings that issue from a higher, plenitudinous realm. The material cosmos is usually treated as a secondary or flawed emanation arising from lower emanations.

Other religious and philosophical contexts also use emanation to account for how divine reality expresses itself in creation, including certain Islamic philosophical currents and medieval Christian mysticism. In these traditions, the emanations are dependent on the source but acquire distinctive features as they unfold.

Emanationism is often contrasted with creation ex nihilo, in which the universe exists as a contingent act of a creator; in emanationism, existence is seen as an outflow from a single source. Critics worry that it risks pantheism or overemphasizing divine unity at the expense of personal agency or moral distinctions.