Theological Term of the Week
Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 9:03PM 
atheism
The belief that there is no god, or the lack of belief in a god.
- Scripture applicable to atheism:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. [19] For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. [20] For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. [21] For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened (Romans 1:18-21 ESV).
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds,there is none who does good. (Psalm 14:1 ESV)
- From the Belgic Confession:
- We know him by two means:
First, by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, since that universe is before our eyes like a beautiful book in which all creatures, great and small, are as letters to make us ponder the invisible things of God: his eternal power and his divinity, as the apostle Paul says in Romans 1:20.
All these things are enough to convict men and to leave them without excuse.
Second, he makes himself known to us more openly by his holy and divine Word, as much as we need in this life, for his glory and for the salvation of his own.
Article 2: The Means by Which We Know God
- From Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof:
[T]here is strong evidence for the universal presence of the idea of God in the human mind, even among tribes which … have not felt the impact of special revelation. In view of this fact some go so far as to deny that there are people who are … real atheists; but this denial is contradicted by the facts. It is customary to distinguish between two kinds, namely, practical and theoretical atheists. The former are simply godless persons, who in their practical life do no reckon with God, but live as if there were no God. The latter are, as a rule, of a more intellectual kind, and base their denial on a process of reasoning. They seek to prove by what seem to them conclusive rational arguments, that there is no God. In view of the semen religionis implanted in every man by his creation in the image of God, it is safe to assume that no one is born an atheist. In the last analysis atheism results from the perverted moral state of man and from his desire to escape from God. It is deliberately blind to and suppresses the most fundamental instinct of man, the deepest needs of the soul, the highest aspirations of the human spirit, and the longings of a heart that gropes after some higher Being. This practical or intellectual suppression of the operation of the semen religionis often involves prolonged and painful struggles.
- Theopedia: Atheism
- GotQuestions.org: What is atheism?
- Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry: What is atheism?
- Dustin Segers: No Good Reason To Be An Athiest
- Gary Gilley: The New Atheism
- Christopher Hitchens and Doug Wilson: Debate on the Existence of God (video)
Related terms:
Do you have a term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.
Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms in alphabetical order.
Reader Comments