Theism

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/theism

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the philosophical definition?Belief in a divine being(s) as creator and sustainer of the universe
2. What is the historical antecedents?Evolved from ancient polytheistic cosmologies to monotheistic traditions
3. Why do people think there is a God?Believing in God can give life meaning, help explain the world, and provide moral guidance.
4. How did people first think about gods?Ancient cultures imagined many gods for nature and stars, and later many grew to one God in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Theism: The belief in the existence of a god or gods, particularly a creator who actively governs the universe.
Monotheism: The doctrine or belief that there is only one God.
Polytheism: The belief in or worship of more than one god.
Deism: Belief in a supreme being who created the universe but does not intervene in its affairs.