Interesting, I didn't even know there was a difference! according to my Concise Oxford, deism is a belief in the existence a creator who doesn't intervene, whereas theism is a belief in a creator who does intervene in the universe.
Thanks, Meirav. I knew that deism held a non-intervening idea to it, but I wasn't sure about theism. I thought it might have more to do with governance or something.
It's a subtle difference, really. A deist is a theist, but not all theists are deists.
"Deism is a religious philosophy which holds that reason and observation of the natural world, without the need for organized religion, can determine that the universe is the product of an intelligent creator. According to deists, the creator never intervenes in human affairs or suspends the natural laws of the universe."
so theist includes deists and all the other folks who believe there's a god, yeah? it's one of the biggest circles in the venn diagram (the other large one being atheists, then? with little circles inside of each?).
Maybe by "concise" they tried to say too much without detail? :D
Theism doesn't really describe the activities of some god, but instead is just a description of the belief in gods, while deism is one specific type of theism that, as you say, does not meddle in the happenings of the universe (as compared to xtianity where the belief is that god personal intervenes in events).
Interesting, I didn't even know there was a difference! according to my Concise Oxford, deism is a belief in the existence a creator who doesn't intervene, whereas theism is a belief in a creator who does intervene in the universe.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Meirav. I knew that deism held a non-intervening idea to it, but I wasn't sure about theism. I thought it might have more to do with governance or something.
ReplyDeleteIt's a subtle difference, really. A deist is a theist, but not all theists are deists.
ReplyDelete"Deism is a religious philosophy which holds that reason and observation of the natural world, without the need for organized religion, can determine that the universe is the product of an intelligent creator. According to deists, the creator never intervenes in human affairs or suspends the natural laws of the universe."
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deism
so theist includes deists and all the other folks who believe there's a god, yeah? it's one of the biggest circles in the venn diagram (the other large one being atheists, then? with little circles inside of each?).
ReplyDeletehmmm... that doesn't go with what my dictionary says :(
ReplyDeleteyou're just going to leave us hanging like that?
ReplyDeletewhat does your dictionary say?
lol... I already told you :)
ReplyDeleteMaybe by "concise" they tried to say too much without detail? :D
ReplyDeleteTheism doesn't really describe the activities of some god, but instead is just a description of the belief in gods, while deism is one specific type of theism that, as you say, does not meddle in the happenings of the universe (as compared to xtianity where the belief is that god personal intervenes in events).