deism

[ dee-iz-uhm ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

belief in the existence of a God on the evidence of reason and nature only, with rejection of supernatural revelation ( theism ).
belief in a God who created the world but has since remained indifferent to it.

deism

/ ˈdeɪ-; ˈdiːɪzəm /

belief in the existence of God based solely on natural reason, without reference to revelation Compare theism

deism

The belief that God has created the universe but remains apart from it and permits his creation to administer itself through natural laws. Deism thus rejects the supernatural aspects of religion, such as belief in revelation in the Bible (see also Bible ), and stresses the importance of ethical conduct. In the eighteenth century, numerous important thinkers held deist beliefs. ( See clockwork universe .)

Origin of deism¹

1675–85; < French déisme < Latin de ( us ) god + French -isme -ism

Origin of deism¹

C17: from French déisme, from Latin deus god

Indeed, just last week, a cluster of polls showed that deism is on the upswing in America.

Deism is the belief in a supreme being who is a creator who does not intervene in the universe.

It is a contest in which opinions may vary in all degrees, from pure Deism to utter Ultramontanism.

Mr. Mitchell was nominally a Unitarian in his religious creed, but he held very lax notions of this theology, and verged to Deism.

Deism is a "sordid" creed, which relegates God to heaven and ignores his ever-operating life in creation.

The God, who serves as the foundation of natural religion, or deism, is himself the greatest of mysteries.

But already in high society in Germany the wind no longer set in the direction of pure Deism.

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