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Nontheism

April 09, 2024

Not to be confused with Atheism.

Nontheism or non-theism is a range of both religious[1] and non-religious[2] attitudes characterized by the absence of espoused belief in the existence of God or gods. Nontheism has generally been used to describe apathy or silence towards the subject of gods and differs from atheism, or active disbelief in any gods. It has been used as an umbrella term for summarizing various distinct and even mutually exclusive positions, such as agnosticism, ignosticism, ietsism, skepticism, pantheism, pandeism, transtheism, atheism (strong or positive, implicit or explicit), and apatheism. It is in use in the fields of Christian apologetics and general liberal theology.

An early usage of the hyphenated term non-theism is attributed to George Holyoake in 1852. Within the scope of nontheistic agnosticism, 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.[3] Some agnostics, however, are not nontheists but rather agnostic theists.[4] Other related philosophical opinions about the existence of deities are ignosticism and skepticism. Because of the various definitions of the term God, a person could be an atheist in terms of certain conceptions of gods, while remaining agnostic in terms of others.

Origin and definition edit

The Oxford English Dictionary (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.[citation needed]

An early usage of the hyphenated non-theism is by George Holyoake in 1852,[5] 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 in his 1857 Modern Atheism under its forms of Pantheism, Materialism, Secularism, Development, and Natural Laws, who however goes on to state:

"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.[6]

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."[7] Usage increased in the 1990s in contexts where association with the terms atheism or antitheism was unwanted. The 1998 Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics states, "In the strict sense, all forms of nontheisms are naturalistic, including atheism, pantheism, deism, and agnosticism."[8]

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.[9]

Nontheistic religions edit

Main article: Nontheistic religion

Nontheistic traditions of thought have played roles[1] in Buddhism,[10] Christianity,[11][12] Hinduism,[13] Jainism, Taoism, Creativity, Dudeism, Raëlism,[14] Humanistic Judaism,[15] Laveyan Satanism, The Satanic Temple,[16] Unitarian Universalism,[17][18] and Ethical culture.[19]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Williams, J. Paul; Horace L. Friess (1962). "The Nature of Religion". Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 2 (1). Blackwell Publishing: 3–17. doi:10.2307/1384088. JSTOR 1384088.
  2. ^ Starobin, Paul. "The Godless Rise As A Political Force". The National Journal. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  3. ^ Kenny, Anthony (2006). "Worshipping an Unknown God". Ratio. 19 (4): 442. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9329.2006.00339.x.
  4. ^ Smith, George H (1979). Atheism: The Case Against God. Prometheus Books. pp. 10–11. ISBN 9780879751241. Properly considered, agnosticism is not a third alternative to theism and atheism because it is concerned with a different aspect of religious belief. Theism and atheism refer to the presence or absence of belief in a god; agnosticism refers to the impossibility of knowledge with regard to a god or supernatural being. The term "agnostic" does not, in itself, indicate whether or not one believes in a god. Agnosticism can be either theistic or atheistic.
  5. ^ "The Reasoner", New Series, No. VIII. 115
  6. ^ Buchanan, James (1857). Modern Atheism under its forms of Pantheism, Materialism, Secularism, Development, and Natural Laws. Sheldon, Blakeman & co .; [etc., etc.]
  7. ^ Cox, Harvey (1966). Secular City. New York, Macmillan. p. 225.
  8. ^ Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. Vol. Naturalism. 1998. p. 252.
  9. ^ Chodron, Pema (2002). When Things Fall Apart. Shambhala Publications, Inc. pp. 39f. ISBN 1-57062-969-2.
  10. ^ B. Alan Wallace, Contemplative Science. Columbia University Press, 2007, pages 97-98.
  11. ^ Spong, John Shelby, A New Christianity for a New World: Why Traditional Faith Is Dying and How a New Faith Is Being Born, ISBN 0-06-067063-0
  12. ^ Tillich, Paul. (1951) Systematic Theology, p.205.
  13. ^ Catherine Robinson, Interpretations of the Bhagavad-Gītā and Images of the Hindu Tradition: The Song of the Lord. Routledge Press, 1992, page 51.
  14. ^ Berryman, Anne (4 January 2003). . Time. Archived from the original on January 10, 2003.
  15. ^ . Society for Humanistic Judaism. Archived from the original on 13 August 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  16. ^ "Satanic Temple: IRS has designated it a tax-exempt church". AP NEWS. 2019-04-25. Retrieved 2019-07-30.
  17. ^ "Humanism: Theological Diversity in Unitarian Universalism". Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  18. ^ "Atheism and Agnosticism: Part of the Theological Diversity Within Unitarian Universalism". Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  19. ^ "American Ethical Union". Retrieved 18 August 2013.

External links edit

  •   Media related to Nontheism at Wikimedia Commons

April 09, 2024
nontheism, confused, with, atheism, theism, range, both, religious, religious, attitudes, characterized, absence, espoused, belief, existence, gods, generally, been, used, describe, apathy, silence, towards, subject, gods, differs, from, atheism, active, disbe. Not to be confused with Atheism Nontheism or non theism is a range of both religious 1 and non religious 2 attitudes characterized by the absence of espoused belief in the existence of God or gods Nontheism has generally been used to describe apathy or silence towards the subject of gods and differs from atheism or active disbelief in any gods It has been used as an umbrella term for summarizing various distinct and even mutually exclusive positions such as agnosticism ignosticism ietsism skepticism pantheism pandeism transtheism atheism strong or positive implicit or explicit and apatheism It is in use in the fields of Christian apologetics and general liberal theology An early usage of the hyphenated term non theism is attributed to George Holyoake in 1852 Within the scope of nontheistic agnosticism 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 3 Some agnostics however are not nontheists but rather agnostic theists 4 Other related philosophical opinions about the existence of deities are ignosticism and skepticism Because of the various definitions of the term God a person could be an atheist in terms of certain conceptions of gods while remaining agnostic in terms of others Contents 1 Origin and definition 2 Nontheistic religions 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksOrigin and definition editThe Oxford English Dictionary 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 citation needed An early usage of the hyphenated non theism is by George Holyoake in 1852 5 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 in his 1857 Modern Atheism under its forms of Pantheism Materialism Secularism Development and Natural Laws who however goes on to state 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 6 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 7 Usage increased in the 1990s in contexts where association with the terms atheism or antitheism was unwanted The 1998 Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics states In the strict sense all forms of nontheisms are naturalistic including atheism pantheism deism and agnosticism 8 Pema Chodron 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 9 Nontheistic religions editMain article Nontheistic religion Nontheistic traditions of thought have played roles 1 in Buddhism 10 Christianity 11 12 Hinduism 13 Jainism Taoism Creativity Dudeism Raelism 14 Humanistic Judaism 15 Laveyan Satanism The Satanic Temple 16 Unitarian Universalism 17 18 and Ethical culture 19 See also edit nbsp Religion portalApatheism Conceptions of God Ethical culture Falsifiability Freethought God in Jainism Ietsism Jainism and non creationism Language Truth and Logic Mu negative Naturalistic pantheism Nontheist Quakers Nondualism Secular humanism Transcendentalism Transtheism Satanism TST References edit a b Williams J Paul Horace L Friess 1962 The Nature of Religion Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 2 1 Blackwell Publishing 3 17 doi 10 2307 1384088 JSTOR 1384088 Starobin Paul The Godless Rise As A Political Force The National Journal Retrieved 29 July 2010 Kenny Anthony 2006 Worshipping an Unknown God Ratio 19 4 442 doi 10 1111 j 1467 9329 2006 00339 x Smith George H 1979 Atheism The Case Against God Prometheus Books pp 10 11 ISBN 9780879751241 Properly considered agnosticism is not a third alternative to theism and atheism because it is concerned with a different aspect of religious belief Theism and atheism refer to the presence or absence of belief in a god agnosticism refers to the impossibility of knowledge with regard to a god or supernatural being The term agnostic does not in itself indicate whether or not one believes in a god Agnosticism can be either theistic or atheistic The Reasoner New Series No VIII 115 Buchanan James 1857 Modern Atheism under its forms of Pantheism Materialism Secularism Development and Natural Laws Sheldon Blakeman amp co etc etc Cox Harvey 1966 Secular City New York Macmillan p 225 Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics Vol Naturalism 1998 p 252 Chodron Pema 2002 When Things Fall Apart Shambhala Publications Inc pp 39f ISBN 1 57062 969 2 B Alan Wallace Contemplative Science Columbia University Press 2007 pages 97 98 Spong John Shelby A New Christianity for a New World Why Traditional Faith Is Dying and How a New Faith Is Being Born ISBN 0 06 067063 0 Tillich Paul 1951 Systematic Theology p 205 Catherine Robinson Interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita and Images of the Hindu Tradition The Song of the Lord Routledge Press 1992 page 51 Berryman Anne 4 January 2003 Who Are the Raelians Time Archived from the original on January 10 2003 SHJ Philosophy Society for Humanistic Judaism Archived from the original on 13 August 2013 Retrieved 18 August 2013 Satanic Temple IRS has designated it a tax exempt church AP NEWS 2019 04 25 Retrieved 2019 07 30 Humanism Theological Diversity in Unitarian Universalism Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations Retrieved 18 August 2013 Atheism and Agnosticism Part of the Theological Diversity Within Unitarian Universalism Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations Retrieved 18 August 2013 American Ethical Union Retrieved 18 August 2013 External links edit nbsp Media related to Nontheism at Wikimedia Commons Nontheism org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nontheism amp oldid 1208609345, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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