deism









deism


noun

  1. belief in the existence of a God on the evidence of reason and nature only, with rejection of supernatural revelation (distinguished from theism).
  2. belief in a God who created the world but has since remained indifferent to it.

noun

  1. belief in the existence of God based solely on natural reason, without reference to revelationCompare theism
n.

1680s (deist is from 1620s), from French déisme, from Latin deus “god” (see Zeus). Until c.1700, opposed to atheism, in a sense where we now would use theism (see theist).

The belief that God has created the universe but remains apart from it and permits his creation to administer itself through natural laws. Deism thus rejects the supernatural aspects of religion, such as belief in revelation in the Bible (see also Bible), and stresses the importance of ethical conduct. In the eighteenth century, numerous important thinkers held deist beliefs. (See clockwork universe.)

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