Theism
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Theism is the religious belief in at least one god.
[edit] Different Theisms
All of these are rough definitions of the theisms; they are almost always different. We can split all the "-theism"s into different groups:
- atheism — not believing in any gods or deities
- deism — that god(s) exist, but that they don't take part in our lives.
- agnosticism — believing that there may or may not be a god or gods, but that we can't show there is.
- Some people group atheism and agnosticism together under the group of non-theism — absence of clearly identified belief in any deity.
The main sub-types of theism are:
- polytheism — believing that god(s) exist
- monotheism — only one god exists (Christians believe in monotheism.)
This taxonomy is based on opinions about the existence of god or gods. Other taxonomies are possible. For example, a different taxonomy is based on opinions about the nature or characteristics (rather than the existence) of God or the gods. Examples include:
- pantheism — God and the universe are equivalent[1]
- panentheism — the universe is part of God
- dystheism or maltheism — that God or the gods are evil.
There is also these types:
- Animism: believing that everything is alive and that spirits are in all things. Also, that all things have souls.
- Monolatry: there is (or may be) more than one god, but we should only worship one.
- Henotheism: there is (or may be) more than one god, but only one is the supreme.
- Kathenotheism: there is more than one god, but only one at a time should be worshipped. Each is supreme in turn.