Lack of essence–energies distinction Eastern Christianity, and particularly the Eastern Orthodox Church, has traditionally held a distinction between God's essence, or that which He is, with God's energies, or that which He does. They hold that while God is unknowable in His essence, He can be known (i.e. experienced) in His energies. This is an extension of Eastern Christianity's apophatic theology, while Western Christians tend to prefer a view of divine simplicity, and claim that God's essence can be known by its attributes.
lack of essence–energies distinction eastern christianity and particularly the eastern orthodox church has traditionally held a distinction between god's essence or that which he is with god's energies or that which he does they hold that while god is unknowable in his essence he can be known (ie experienced) in his energies this is an extension of eastern christianity's apophatic theology while western christians tend to prefer a view of divine simplicity and claim that god's essence can be known by its attributes