Theism

=**Theism **=

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines theism as “belief in the existence of a god or gods; //specifically:// belief in the existence of one God viewed as the creative source of the human race and the world who transcends yet is immanent in the world.” With that, I think it is important to briefly discuss this definition and its importance on discussion of various worldviews that have beliefs in various deities. For our purposes, we are going to define theism in a broad sense and a specific sense.

In a very broad sense theism is the worldview that holds that there exists in reality a supernatural Being or beings – either a single God or a collection of gods. Now notice I chose my words carefully in that I said the divine being(s) exist in reality – that is they are actually real beings that exist, just as we and the whole physical world exist. It is important to be careful here because in theism, in its broad sense, there are a variety of theistic views as to how the real supernatural being(s) relate to our actual physical world or realm. Let me explain what I mean by “how they relate.”
 * //Broad Sense of Theism: //**

In its broad sense, theism is like the great canopy that covers over every other worldview that believes in a deity or deities – this includes all religions that have a God or gods, and all philosophical views that have supernatural undertones. Now, with that, we can assert that theistic worldviews come in many versions and all of them have different understandings of how God or gods relate to the world. To drive this point let us look at some examples.

One example is in monotheistic (theistic belief in one God) belief systems – like Christianity, Islam and Judaism – God is a real existing being that is a personal, infinite, all powerful Creator of the universe Who can interact within the universe through supernatural works (miracles). Another example is polytheistic (theistic belief in many gods) belief systems – like Hinduism, Greco-Roman beliefs, and Wiccans – the gods are personal, but they are finite, they are not all powerful, they have human-like flaws, but they can perform miraculous works. Still another example to show the point would be deistic belief system. This view asserts that there is one God but He does not interact with the physical universe – He created the universe but no longer interacts within or relates with the universe (i.e.: He does not do miracles). The last example to drive the point of theistic diversity is pantheistic (theistic belief that god is the universe) belief systems – like Hinduism, Zen-Buddhism and Scientology. In such belief systems God’s relation to the universe is that he IS the universe.

As one can see, with the abovementioned examples, theistic worldviews are diverse in what they believe about how God or god(s) relate to the world.

In its more specific sense, we can define theism as “//specifically:// belief in the existence of **//one God//** viewed as the creative source of the human race and the world **//who transcends yet is immanent in the world//**” (this is Webster’s definition). As we can see this definition narrows the scope of theism and actually eliminates other God or gods centered belief-systems – i.e.: //one God// excludes polytheistic beliefs which believe in more than one God; //transcendent// (above everything) excludes panentheistic and pantheistic belief systems which say God is not above everything but either is everything or everything is in Him; //immanent in// (that is within the universe, sustaining it and acting in it) eliminates the deistic belief-system which asserts God is not working in the universe anymore – He is afar off. Thus Theism as defined in its specific sense narrows to include only monotheistic belief systems – the three most prominent being Christianity, Judaism and Islam.
 * //Specific Sense of Theism: //**

The more specific and narrow sense of theism is the most common definition among religious teachers, theologians and Christian apologists today. They will all pretty much define theism this way: “Theism is the worldview that an infinite personal God created the universe and miraculously intervenes in it from time to time.”[1] With that, in an outline format of what it means to have a theistic worldview in its specific sense, it means to believe: (1) God exists beyond and in the world; (2) the world was created //Ex Nihilo// (created //out of nothing//) by God; (3) miracles are possible; (4) people are made in the image of God; (5) there is a moral law within humans given by the Moral Lawgiver: God; (6) rewards and punishments await after physical death.[2]

Again, in its most common specific sense, theism is aligned almost singularly with monotheistic worldviews today.

[1] Information in this paragraph comes from: Geisler, Norman. //__Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics__//. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999) pg 722 [2] Six major points come from: Ibid pgs 722-723