God Glossary
This is one for the theology buffs. I was dredging through some of my notes the other day when I came across a page outlining a variety of beliefs concerning gods and god. Unfortunately I have lost the source information, so I can't tell you where I got it. But it does make for interesting reading, or at least I thought so, as it included a few terms here that even I hadn't heard of before. Anyway take a look:
Polytheism
The belief that there are several gods
Henotheism
The belief that among several gods one is supreme
Kathenotheism
The belief that among several gods one is supreme at a particular time and that different gids can be supreme in succession at other times
Hecastotheism
The belief that all objects have sacred power
Ditheism
The belief in two gods
Dualism
The belief that cosmic history is a battle between the two great powers of divine goodness and malicious evil
Myriotheism
The belief that the number of gods cannot be counted
Zootheism
The belief in animal gods
Herotheism
The belief in deified men
Anthropotheism
The belief that gods are basically human in nature
Autotheism
The belief that one is oneself divine
Pantheism
The belief that god is in all things
Panentheism
The belief that all things are in god
Emanationism
The belief that all things are outgrowths of, or emanations from god
Theism
The belief that there is a god
Monotheism
The belief that there is only one god
Trinitarianism
The belief that there are three persons in one god
Creationism
The belief that each human soul is created individually by god or that god created the world in six days
Deism
The belief that god created the world but does not act within it
Atheism
The belief that there is no god
Agnosticism
The belief that one lacks the means of knowing whether or not there is a god or many gods or no deities at all
Fideism
The belief that religious faith confirms that there is a god without recourse to reason
Rationalism
The belief that human reason is the High Court in which to decide what counts as knowledge (of God) or superstition.
Now, I should add that I do not agree with all the definitions here, these are not my definitions, but I reproduce it without editing, commentary, etc, as I think its a very good demonstration of the varieties of religious belief. Maybe you can think of a few more even?
Have you heard of Dystheism?
Posted by: Isaiah | May 09, 2008 at 11:44 PM
Have you heard of Dystheism?
Posted by: Isaiah | May 09, 2008 at 11:45 PM
Sorry, computer messed up there...
Posted by: Isaiah | May 09, 2008 at 11:46 PM
So, Matt... when are you going to put your definitions in that list? Very interesting.
Posted by: Peggy | May 10, 2008 at 04:10 AM
Pandeism: the idea that (1) at the moments just before God created the world, God was the only entity in existence; and (2) when God created the world, God as an independent entity ceased to exist and God totally became the world; such that (3) at the current time, "God" is simply another name for the "world" and perhaps (4)in a future time, the world will disappear into, and as, God, such that God will once again be the only entity in existence.
Monopersonalistic Monotheism: the type of theism found among Jews and Muslims
Tripersonalisitic Monotheism: the type of theism found among trinitarian Christians
Polypersonalistic Monotheism: the type of theism found among Palmyran Christians (i.e., Church of Jesus Christ, LDS; or the Mormons)
Duopersonalistic Monotheism: the type of theism found among Radha-Krishna Vaishnava Hindus.
Polydevic Mono-Nirvanism: Buddhism
Posted by: NewTrollObserver | May 10, 2008 at 08:56 AM
Isaiah, no so I looked it up. Dystheism (Greek δύσθεος "ungodly"), the belief that a god is not wholly good, and is possibly evil.
Sounds like H P Lovecraft! I am reading his Omnibus 2: Dagon and other Macabre Tales at the moment.
While I was looking it up I also came across Misotheism, the "hatred of God" or "hatred of the gods"
Posted by: Matt Stone | May 10, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Peggy, not sure. Doing an assignment this weekend so certainly not today.
Posted by: Matt Stone | May 10, 2008 at 10:19 AM
NewTrollObserver, that's a mouthful. Seems like there is endless scope for obscure taxonomy. Maybe we should invent some more. Maybe I should be cheeky and introduce Peirazotheism, the wondering if God is tested by our endless taxonomical games.
Posted by: Matt Stone | May 10, 2008 at 10:38 AM
mattism: the belief that matt is god
:)
Posted by: stu mcgregor | May 10, 2008 at 06:20 PM
Oh, I haven't met too many that have made that mistake, I'm more often confused with Satan.
Posted by: Matt Stone | May 10, 2008 at 08:04 PM
Wikipedia has some good articles for introductions on
misotheism and dystheism..
Posted by: Isaiah | May 10, 2008 at 11:39 PM
haha...very good post. Who knew there were so many theisms/isms...
Posted by: UmmZahra | May 13, 2008 at 03:26 PM