That theology and science have different methods and levels of certitude in regards to finding agreeable propositions that are testable by everyone, is not in dispute. You are missing the point. There is no objective evidence for or against classical theism vs panentheism. Just because the method of scientists and theologians differ does not mean God must be external to nature. That is the assumption hidden in your comments that I don’t agree with. It may be true but I find it to be an assumption. I have seen no evidence God exists completely outside nature which exists external to him. Klax seems to think this is impossible, You seem to find it possible.
Later tradition yes. An interpretation of Genesis 1:1 where God uses pre-existing materials is just as viable and preferred by many exegetes. Not to mention most of the Bible was polytheistic. It started off with God existing with a sea of actual competitors. We no longer believe this but I would hardly claim that as the “tradition of Christianity and Judaism.” Its the one we now agree with and nothing more. Though Christianity started in a time when Jews were fiercely monotheistic so that may define it better.
Also, again, I distinguish between pantheism and panentheism. I don’t subscribe to pantheism but do think panentheism has some merit (along with numerous problems).
Its not equating an atom with God, its affirming God is the ground of all being and that by definition, per some philosophers, nothing can truly be external and fully independent from an omni-being. Whether it can or can’t be is something there is no evidence for one way or the other and no amount of defining science or theology will change that. We just don’t know. Your carpenter analogy is skewed in my view. God doesn’t need to support the table. God is the reason the table exists and stands the way it does. We quantify and explain things using gravity and structural dynamics. None of that precludes God as the ground of all being.
Vinnie