Theism Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Theism (from Greek Θεϊσμός, theismos) is used in two meanings: Primarily it is the belief in gods or goddesses. The word originated in Ancient Greece and signified belief in the traditional gods, the Olympians.It can also mean the belief in a God, or Gods, who is actively involved in maintaining the Universe.This secondary meaning is shown in context to other beliefs concerning the divine, below:
The primary meaning sees four major views of the role of the divine in the world in this context:
- deism, the view that God created the world but does not interact with it; emphasis on deities' transcendence
- theism, proper (second definition), the view that God is immanent in the world, yet transcends it;
- panentheism, the view that the world is entirely contained within God, while at the same time God is something greater than just the world.
- pantheism, the view that the world is identical to God; emphasis on deities' immanence
- polytheism (there are several Gods)
- monotheism (there is only one God)
Within Polytheism a number of attitudes to the worship of the gods can be discerned.
- monolatry (there are several gods, but only one of them is worshipped)
- henotheism (several gods are worshipped, but one is seen as supreme)
- kathenotheism (worship of one god at a time, seeing each as supreme in turn)
Finally, we can make the distinction between belief in gods' existences and assertions about their benevolence:
- theophilia says that deities are good and worthy of our worship and devotion
- maltheism says that the evidence contradicts the notion that deities are good, and thus not worthy of our worship and devotion
Compare: Atheism, Agnosticism
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