Epictetus' God is Pantheistic Because his teachings can be interpreted in different ways, Epictetus' view of God is unclear. It is unclear whether Epictetus' god is a pantheistic god who is one with the universe or whether his god is a personal god who answers prayers and watches over his people like the god of monotheism. While there is little doubt that Epictetus views God as omnipotent and all-powerful, I will argue that his texts also indicate that Epictetus views God as a pantheistic god who possesses none of the defining characteristics of a personal god. There is a significant difference between what Epictetus understands to be all-good and what monotheism defines as all-good. What monotheism defines as all good is perfect morality, while Epictetus defines the true nature of good as intelligence, knowledge, and right reason (Discourses 8:2). According to Epictetus, the true nature of good cannot be found in irrational creatures such as animals and plants. Rather, it can only be found in that which is rational (Discourses 8:3). Only that which possesses rationality can have the true nature of good, and since the true nature of God is where the true nature of good is found, one can only conclude that the true nature of God is rationality (Discourses 8:1). Epictetus' god does not simply possess these qualities, but is goodness, is rationality itself. This is the decisive difference between the good of Epictetus' god and that of a personal god. The texts make it clear that Epictetus sees God as omnipotent. It describes God as the creator of the universe and that no one could possess power equal to God (Discourses 6:10, 14:11). This could be interpreted as a personification of God because being an “artisan” and the ab...... means of paper ......and of ourselves, but simply to preserve us as nature intended (Discourses 8: 23 ). Epictetus' god is not a caring, personal god as a cursory look at the texts might lead some to believe. While at first glance it may seem that Epictetus' god appears to be a personal god, a closer look at the texts reveals that his god is a pantheist who bears no resemblance to the personal god of monotheism. His god is one with the universe and the true essence of his god is the rationality of intelligence, right reason and knowledge while a personal god is an entity separate from the world but takes care and watches over the high. Although both the god of Epictetus and the personal god of monotheism are both all-good and all-powerful, they are so in very different ways. Epictetus' god is clearly a pantheistic god who possesses none of the traits that define a personal god.