73%
Confidence
Belief overview
Knowledge of God through reason and nature
Nature and reason are seen as principal ways to recognize God.
3
Supportive
0
Contrary
0
Neutral
What it is: Deism holds that the human mind can reach basic knowledge about God through reason and observation of the world.
How the position understands it: Natural order, the regularity of the universe, and philosophical reflection would be sufficient to recognize the existence and some general attributes of the creator.
Basis and context: This theme was central in natural religion, modern philosophy, and non-confessional rational apologias.
Debates and variations: There is debate about how much reason can really know about God beyond existence and very general attributes.
Documentary evidence
Supportive
Herbert of Cherbury, De Veritate
A work often associated with the foundations of English deism.
Reference: Edward Herbert of Cherbury, De Veritate.
Content: The work defends common notions of religion universally accessible to human reason.
Use in debate: It is a classic reference for natural religion and rational knowledge of God.
Psalm 19:1
Creation declares the glory of God.
Reference: Psalm 19:1.
Content: The verse describes the heavens proclaiming the divine glory.
Use in debate: It is often used in favor of a natural reading of the knowledge of God.
Romans 1:20 in a natural-religion reading
A passage used to defend knowledge of God through creation.
Reference: Romans 1:20.
Content: The text states that God's invisible attributes can be perceived in the created things.
Use in debate: Although it is a Christian text, it can be mobilized in support of the idea of knowledge of God through nature.