Nontheism
Encyclopedia
Nontheism is a term that covers a range of both religious and nonreligious attitudes characterized by the absence of — or the rejection of — theism
or any belief in a personal god
or gods. Invented originally as a synonym for secularism
(see below), it has become an umbrella term
for summarizing various distinct and even mutually exclusive positions united by a naturalist
approach, such as agnosticism
, skepticism
, and atheism
. It is in use in the fields of Christian apologetics
and general liberal theology
. Sometimes used synonymously with the term atheism, it can also include positions of belief in a non-personal deity, such as deism
and pantheism
.
Nontheism can be expressed in a variety of ways. "Strong atheism" is the positive belief that a god does not exist. Someone who does not think about the existence of a deity may be termed a "weak atheist", or more specifically implicitly atheist
. Other, more qualified types of nontheism are often known as agnosticism: "strong" or "positive" agnosticism is the belief that it is impossible for humans to know whether or not any deities exist. It is a more precise opinion than weak agnosticism, which is the belief that the existence or nonexistence of any deities is unknown but not necessarily unknowable. Philosopher Anthony Kenny
distinguishes between agnostics, who find the claim "God exists" uncertain, and theological noncognitivists
, who consider all discussion of God to be meaningless. Some agnostics, however, are not nontheists but rather agnostic theists
.
Other related philosophical opinions about the existence of deity are ignosticism
and skepticism. Because of the various meanings of the term "god
", a person could be an atheist in terms of certain portrayals of gods, while remaining agnostic in terms of others.
(2007) does not have an entry for "nontheism" or "non-theism", but it does have an entry for "non-theist", defined as "A person who is not a theist", and an entry for the adjectival "non-theistic".
An early usage of the hyphenated "non-theism" is by George Holyoake
in 1852, who introduces it because
This passage is cited by James Buchanan
in his 1857 Modern Atheism under its forms of Pantheism, Materialism, Secularism, Development, and Natural Laws, who however goes on to state that
Spelling without hyphen sees scattered use in the later 20th century, following Harvey Cox
's 1966 Secular City; "Thus the hidden God or deus absconditus of biblical theology may be mistaken for the no-god-at-all of nontheism." (p.225) Usage increased in the 1990s in contexts where association with the terms "atheism" or "anti-theism" was unwanted. The 1998 Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics has "in the strict sense, all forms of nontheisms are naturalistic, including atheism, pantheism
, deism
, and agnosticism." (p. 252, s.v. Naturalism)
Pema Chödrön
uses the term in the context of Buddhism
; "The difference between theism and nontheism is not whether one does or does not believe in God.[...] Theism is a deep-seated conviction that there's some hand to hold [...] Non-theism is relaxing with the ambiguity and uncertainty of the present moment without reaching for anything to protect ourselves [...] Nontheism is finally realizing there is no babysitter you can count on.".
.
Theism
Theism, in the broadest sense, is the belief that at least one deity exists.In a more specific sense, theism refers to a doctrine concerning the nature of a monotheistic God and God's relationship to the universe....
or any belief in a personal god
Personal God
A personal god is a deity who can be related to as a person instead of as an "impersonal force", such as the Absolute, "the All", or the "Ground of Being"....
or gods. Invented originally as a synonym for secularism
Secularism
Secularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...
(see below), it has become an umbrella term
Umbrella term
An umbrella term is a word that provides a superset or grouping of concepts that all fall under a single common category. Umbrella term is also called a hypernym. For example, cryptology is an umbrella term that encompasses cryptography and cryptanalysis, among other fields...
for summarizing various distinct and even mutually exclusive positions united by a naturalist
Naturalism (philosophy)
Naturalism commonly refers to the philosophical viewpoint that the natural universe and its natural laws and forces operate in the universe, and that nothing exists beyond the natural universe or, if it does, it does not affect the natural universe that we know...
approach, such as agnosticism
Agnosticism
Agnosticism is the view that the truth value of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, but also other religious and metaphysical claims—is unknown or unknowable....
, skepticism
Skepticism
Skepticism has many definitions, but generally refers to any questioning attitude towards knowledge, facts, or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere...
, and atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
. It is in use in the fields of Christian apologetics
Christian apologetics
Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections, and expose the perceived flaws of other world views...
and general liberal theology
Liberal theology
Liberal theology may refer to*Liberal Christianity also known as liberal theology, is an umbrella term covering diverse, philosophically and non-mystic biblical text belief within general Christianity that became more popular in the 20th century...
. Sometimes used synonymously with the term atheism, it can also include positions of belief in a non-personal deity, such as deism
Deism
Deism in religious philosophy is the belief that reason and observation of the natural world, without the need for organized religion, can determine that the universe is the product of an all-powerful creator. According to deists, the creator does not intervene in human affairs or suspend the...
and pantheism
Pantheism
Pantheism is the view that the Universe and God are identical. Pantheists thus do not believe in a personal, anthropomorphic or creator god. The word derives from the Greek meaning "all" and the Greek meaning "God". As such, Pantheism denotes the idea that "God" is best seen as a process of...
.
Nontheism can be expressed in a variety of ways. "Strong atheism" is the positive belief that a god does not exist. Someone who does not think about the existence of a deity may be termed a "weak atheist", or more specifically implicitly atheist
Implicit and explicit atheism
Implicit atheism and explicit atheism are subcategories of atheism coined by George H. Smith . Implicit atheism is defined by Smith as "the absence of theistic belief without a conscious rejection of it"...
. Other, more qualified types of nontheism are often known as agnosticism: "strong" or "positive" agnosticism is the belief that it is impossible for humans to know whether or not any deities exist. It is a more precise opinion than weak agnosticism, which is the belief that the existence or nonexistence of any deities is unknown but not necessarily unknowable. Philosopher Anthony Kenny
Anthony Kenny
Sir Anthony John Patrick Kenny FBA is an English philosopher whose interests lie in the philosophy of mind, ancient and scholastic philosophy, the philosophy of Wittgenstein and the philosophy of religion...
distinguishes between agnostics, who find the claim "God exists" uncertain, and theological noncognitivists
Theological noncognitivism
Theological noncognitivism is the argument that religious language, and specifically words like "god", are not cognitively meaningful. It is sometimes considered to be synonymous with Ignosticism.-Overview:...
, who consider all discussion of God to be meaningless. Some agnostics, however, are not nontheists but rather agnostic theists
Agnostic theism
Agnostic theism is the philosophical view that encompasses both theism and agnosticism. An agnostic theist believes the proposition at least one deity exists is true, but regards the truth or falsehood of this proposition as unknown or inherently unknowable...
.
Other related philosophical opinions about the existence of deity are ignosticism
Ignosticism
Ignosticism or igtheism is the theological position that every other theological position assumes too much about the concept of God and many other theological concepts...
and skepticism. Because of the various meanings of the term "god
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
", a person could be an atheist in terms of certain portrayals of gods, while remaining agnostic in terms of others.
Origin and definition
The Oxford English DictionaryOxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
(2007) does not have an entry for "nontheism" or "non-theism", but it does have an entry for "non-theist", defined as "A person who is not a theist", and an entry for the adjectival "non-theistic".
An early usage of the hyphenated "non-theism" is by George Holyoake
George Holyoake
George Jacob Holyoake , English secularist and co-operator, was born in Birmingham, England. He coined the term "secularism" in 1851 and the term "jingoism" in 1878.-Owenism:...
in 1852, who introduces it because
- "Mr. [Charles] Southwell has taken an objection to the term Atheism. We are glad he has. We have disused it a long time [...]. We disuse it, because Atheist is a worn-out word. Both the ancients and the moderns have understood by it one without God, and also without morality. Thus the term connotes more than any well-informed and earnest person accepting it ever included in it; that is, the word carries with it associations of immorality, which have been repudiated by the Atheist as seriously as by the Christian. Non-theism is a term less open to the same misunderstanding, as it implies the simple non-acceptance of the Theist's explanation of the origin and government of the world."
This passage is cited by James Buchanan
James Buchanan (minister)
James Buchanan was a Church of Scotland minister and theologian.-Life:James Buchanan was born in Paisley on 14 April 1804 as the son of a wine merchant. After studies in Glasgow and Edinburgh, he was ordained minister of the Church of Scotland at Roslin in 1827 and received the parish of North...
in his 1857 Modern Atheism under its forms of Pantheism, Materialism, Secularism, Development, and Natural Laws, who however goes on to state that
- "Non-theism" was afterwards exchanged [by Holyoake] for "Secularism", as a term less liable to misconstruction, and more correctly descriptive of the real import of the theory.
Spelling without hyphen sees scattered use in the later 20th century, following Harvey Cox
Harvey Cox
Harvey Gallagher Cox, Jr. is one of the preeminent theologians in the United States and served as Hollis Research Professor of Divinity at the Harvard Divinity School, until his retirement in October 2009...
's 1966 Secular City; "Thus the hidden God or deus absconditus of biblical theology may be mistaken for the no-god-at-all of nontheism." (p.225) Usage increased in the 1990s in contexts where association with the terms "atheism" or "anti-theism" was unwanted. The 1998 Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics has "in the strict sense, all forms of nontheisms are naturalistic, including atheism, pantheism
Pantheism
Pantheism is the view that the Universe and God are identical. Pantheists thus do not believe in a personal, anthropomorphic or creator god. The word derives from the Greek meaning "all" and the Greek meaning "God". As such, Pantheism denotes the idea that "God" is best seen as a process of...
, deism
Deism
Deism in religious philosophy is the belief that reason and observation of the natural world, without the need for organized religion, can determine that the universe is the product of an all-powerful creator. According to deists, the creator does not intervene in human affairs or suspend the...
, and agnosticism." (p. 252, s.v. Naturalism)
Pema Chödrön
Pema Chödrön
Pema Chödrön is a notable American figure in Tibetan Buddhism. A disciple of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, she is an ordained nun, author, and teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage which Trungpa founded....
uses the term in the context of Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
; "The difference between theism and nontheism is not whether one does or does not believe in God.[...] Theism is a deep-seated conviction that there's some hand to hold [...] Non-theism is relaxing with the ambiguity and uncertainty of the present moment without reaching for anything to protect ourselves [...] Nontheism is finally realizing there is no babysitter you can count on.".
Nontheistic religions
Nontheistic traditions of thought have played roles in Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Jainism, and RaelismRaëlism
Raëlism is a UFO religion that was founded in 1974 by Claude Vorilhon, now known as Raël.The Raëlian Movement teaches that life on Earth was scientifically created by a species of extraterrestrials, which they call the Elohim...
.
See also
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