DIFFERENT THEISMS
Does God exist?
Response
THEISM
ATHEISM
NONTHEISM
AGNOSTICISM
Definition
God exists (support, affirm God’s existence) “theos”
means “God” in Greek
God does not exist (reject or deny God’s existence)
“a” as a prefix from Greek means “no” or “not,” so atheos means “no God”
God’s existence, or lack thereof, is not the focus. The
focus is elsewhere. Unconcerned or apathetic about
whether or not God exists. It simply does not matter
if God exists or doesn’t, so no position is taken (does
not affirm/support, does not reject/deny either)
Unsure if God exists or not (“a” = “no” and “gnosis” =
“knowledge” or “to know”, so “unknowing”). God’s
existence cannot be proven or known definitively.
Example
Many religions. Christianity, Islam, Judaism,
Hinduism, some Buddhists, Zoroastrianism, Sikhism,
Baha’i, Voodoo, etc.
Not many religions. Some forms of Buddhism,
including Zen. Some scholars argue organized
atheistic groups could be a form of religion
Most forms of Buddhism. The focus of the Buddha’s
teaching are not about God (or whether or not God
exists), but on the elimination of human suffering
No examples; religions almost inherently are never
agnostic, but definitive regarding God’s existence
Focus on one God or one divine essence
Response
MONOTHEISM
UNITARIANISM
(unitary
monotheism)
TRINITARIANISM
(trinitarian
monotheism)
MONISM
DEISM
Definition
Belief in one God (“mono” from Greek for “one, only,
single”)
Belief in one God, who is an absolute single unity,
indivisible, indissoluble, no division (of partners,
spouses, children, separate spirit, no Trinity, etc.)
Belief in one God, who is one single being who unites
three persons
Philosophical view that everything and everyone
emanates/originates from the same shared source.
Religions would say that source is holy, all-powerful
(omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient), all-loving
(benevolent) and the Creator.
Belief in one God (unitarian monotheism) who is
unconcerned with humanity and this universe; “dei”
is Latin for God (see deify)
Example
Most theistic religions (see theism)
Judaism: Yahweh is One
Islam: Allah is One
Sikhism: Waheguru is One
Hinduism: (Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the
sustainer, and Shiva, the destroyer)
Christianity: (God, the Father, God the Son, and God
the Holy Spirit)
Hinduism: the entire universe (perhaps, multiverse)
and everything/everyone in it comes from Brahman.
Everything is an extension of the Brahman.
No examples among organized religions (but some
Founding Fathers, like Thomas Jefferson)
Focus on several gods or several divine beings
Response
POLYTHEISM
DUALISM
Definition
Belief in multiple gods and goddesses (“poly” is
Greek for “many, several)
Everything is divided into two opposing or
complementary powers, energies
Example
Ancient, primeval, “dead” religions in cultures long
gone (Egypt, Mesopotamian cultures, Greek, Roman),
but also in religions that still exist (Wicca, Druidism)
Eastern: yin and yang, opposites are both necessary to
bring harmony and bliss (Confucianism, Daoism)
Western: opposing forces in conflict and battle (good
versus evil, God/Satan). Classic examples is
Zoroastrianism from Persia with the God of goodness
ANIMISM
HENOTHEISM
Belief that everything and everyone has a soul or
spirit (“anima” in Latin)
Belief in many gods (polytheistic in belief) but
reserve worship for only one viewed as supreme
(monotheistic in practice). Worship of one without
denying others.
and creation (Ahura Mazda) and the God of evil and
destruction (Angra Mainyu)
Many Native American and indigenous religions
throughout Asia, Siberia, Australia, Europe, and the
Americas (every person, mountain, rock, river, tree,
animal, plain, forest, etc. has a divine soul/spirit)
Ancient religions were perhaps largely animistic and
polytheistic and over time became henotheistic (the
god of your people or clan or culture or family exist,
but I’m going to reserve worship for my ancestral god)
which eventually evolved into monotheism today.
Ancient Hebrews/Jews were surrounded by other
cultures with their own gods, so perhaps they were
henotheists who became the first culture to embrace
monotheism.
FOCUS ON GOD’S INHERENT CONNECTION TO THE UNIVERSE
Response
PANTHEISM
PANENTHEISM
Definition
Belief that God is everywhere and thus everything is
divine (“pan” is Greek for “all”) but not really
separate (or transcendent) from everything and thus
has no separate, distinct consciousness or
personality. God is fully immanent. God is
impersonal. God is the universe, the universe is God.
Belief that God is everywhere and thus everything is
divine, but also can exist beyond (so God is
immanent and transcendent). God is throughout the
universe but also to go beyond the universe too.
Example
Some “natural” religions; perhaps Confucianism,
Daoism, Shinto, some schools of Buddhism
Most theistic religions