omnipresence

Omnipresence is the attribute of being present everywhere at the same time. Etymologically from Latin omnis “all” and praesentia “presence,” the term is most often used in theology and philosophy to describe a being that is not limited by spatial constraints.

In classical theism, omnipresence is one of the central divine attributes alongside omnipotence and omniscience. It does not imply a material occupation of space; rather, it indicates that God transcends spatial limits and is present to all creation, often conceived as sustaining and knowing it in every location. Some traditions distinguish between God’s omnipresence and a personal, imminent presence within the world (immanence).

Interpretations vary by tradition. In monotheistic traditions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, God is described as being present everywhere and intimately accessible, yet not confined to any place. In Thomistic theology, God’s presence is not a spatial location but the underlying act of existence that pervades all things. Panentheism holds that God encompasses and permeates the universe while remaining greater than it; pantheism often identifies the divine with the cosmos itself, treating omnipresence as a feature of the totality of reality.

In secular discourse, omnipresence is sometimes used metaphorically to describe pervasive influence or surveillance, but such uses are figurative rather than literal. The concept continues to function as a key topic in debates about divine nature, epistemology, and the relationship between space, time, and existence.