Theism

Gods in the Triumph of Civilization

Theism, in the field of comparative religion, is the belief in the existence of deities. In popular parlance, the term theism often describes the classical conception of God that is found in the monotheistic and polytheistic religions.

The term theism derives from the Greek theos meaning "god". The term theism was first used by Ralph Cudworth (1617–88). In Cudworth's definition, they are "strictly and properly called Theists, who affirm, that a perfectly conscious understanding being, or mind, existing of itself from eternity, was the cause of all other things".

Atheism is commonly understood as rejection of theism in the broadest sense of theism; i.e. the absence of belief that there is even one deity. Rejection of theism in the narrower sense is more seldomly regarded as atheism. Since such a-theism doesn't necessarily reject deism, pantheism, and polytheism, it is rather absorbed into such forms of expression. The claim that the existence of any deity is unknown or unknowable is agnosticism. The positive assertion of knowledge, either of the existence of gods or the absence of gods, can also be attributed to some theists and some atheists. Put simply, theism and atheism deal with belief, and agnosticism deals with rational claims to asserting knowledge.

Types of Theism

Monotheism

Main article: Monotheism

Monotheism (from Greek μόνος) is the belief in theology that only one deity exists. Some modern day monotheistic religions include Islam, Judaism, Baha'i Faith, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Eckankar and some forms of Hinduism, and Christianity.

Polytheism

Main article: Polytheism

Polytheism is the belief that there is more than one deity. In practice, polytheism is not just the belief that there are multiple gods; it usually includes belief in the existence of a specific pantheon of distinct deities.

Within polytheism there are hard and soft varieties:

• Hard polytheism views the gods as being distinct and separate beings; an example of this would be certain schools of Hinduism as well as Hellenismos.
• Soft polytheism views the gods as being subsumed into a greater whole. Some other forms of Hinduism such as Smartism/Advaita Vedanta serve as examples of soft polytheism.

Polytheism is also divided according to how the individual deities are regarded:

• Henotheism: The viewpoint/belief that there may be more than one deity, but only one of them is worshiped.
• Kathenotheism: The viewpoint/belief that there is more than one deity, but only one deity is worshiped at a time or ever, and another may be worthy of worship at another time or place. If they are worshiped one at a time, then each is supreme in turn.
• Monolatrism: The belief that there may be more than one deity, but that only one is worthy of being worshiped. Most of the modern monotheistic religions may have begun as monolatric ones, although this is disputed.

Pantheism and panentheism

Main articles: Pantheism and Panentheism

• Pantheism: The belief that the physical universe is equivalent to god, and that there is no division between a Creator and the substance of its creation. Examples include works of Baruch Spinoza.
• Panentheism: Like Pantheism, the belief that the physical universe is joined to a god or gods. However, it also believes that a god or gods are greater than the material universe. Examples include most forms of Vaishnavism.

Some people find the distinction between these two beliefs as ambiguous and unhelpful, while others see it as a significant point of division. Pantheism may be understood a type of Nontheism, where the physical universe takes on some of the roles of a theistic God, and other roles of God viewed as unnecessary.

Deism

Main article: Deism

• Classical deism is the belief that at least one deity exists and created the world, but that the creator(s) does/do not alter the original plan for the universe.

Deism typically rejects supernatural events (such as prophecies, miracles, and divine revelations) prominent in organized religion. Instead, Deism holds that religious beliefs must be founded on human reason and observed features of the natural world, and that these sources reveal the existence of a supreme being as creator.

• Pandeism: The belief that a god preceded the universe and created it, but is now equivalent with it.
• Panendeism combines deism with panentheism, believing the universe is a part (but not the whole) of deity
• Polydeism: The belief that multiple gods existed, but do not intervene in the universe.

Autotheism

Main article: Apotheosis

Autotheism is the viewpoint that, whether divinity is also external or not, it is inherently within 'oneself' and that one has a duty to become perfect (or divine). This can be in a selfless way, a way following the implications of statements attributed to ethical, philosophical, and religious leaders (such as Jesus and Mahavira).

Autotheism can also refer to the belief that one's self is a deity (often the only one), within the context of subjectivism. This is a fairly extreme version of subjectivism, however.

Value-judgment theisms

• Eutheism is the belief that a deity is wholly benevolent.
• Dystheism is the belief that a deity is not wholly good, and is possibly evil.
• Misotheism is the belief that a deity exists, but is wholly malicious.

See also

• Animism
• Atheism
• Deism
• Ietsism
• Liberal theism
• Nontheistic religions
• Open theism
• Theistic evolution
• Āstika and nāstika