geschaffenes

geschaffenes is a term used in philosophy and theology to designate what has been created, i.e., the realm of beings and things whose existence depends on a cause or a creator, as opposed to the uncreated or divine. In many contexts it refers to the created order—the universe, living beings, and human artifacts.

The word derives from schaffen, meaning “to create,” with geschaffen as the past participle. In German, das Geschaffene is the standard noun form when speaking of “the created,” while geschaffenes is the attributive form used before neuter nouns (for example, das geschaffene Universum or ein geschaffenes Wesen).

Usage and significance: In Christian theology, das Geschaffene denotes everything God has brought into existence. The concept underpins discussions of creation, contingency, finitude, and the relationship between Creator and creation. It helps distinguish between the unbegotten, unerschaffen Creator and the Geschaffene, which is dependent, mutable, and ordered toward a higher purpose. In philosophy, analogous distinctions appear in debates about ontology, causality, and the nature of reality. In literature and art, das geschaffene world can be contrasted with nature or the divine, often to highlight human creativity or the limits of human agency.

Variations and nuance: Because creation is a broad idea, geschaffenes can refer to material and immaterial entities alike. Some thinkers emphasize createdness as an essential property of all existence beyond God, while others discuss degrees of createdness, providence, and grace.

See also: Schöpfung, Schöpfungsgeschichte, Creator, ungeschaffen.