Theism, << THEE ihz uhm, >> is belief in a god or gods. The term comes from the Greek word theos, meaning god. Theism plays an important role in most religions. However, various faiths differ in their teachings about a god or gods.
The words theism and theistic are used mainly in discussing religions that have one god. Such religions are called monotheistic. They include Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and forms of Hinduism. These faiths stress the existence of an all-knowing and all-powerful god. This god may provide ways of life for people to follow and may offer people salvation. In ancient times, Greeks and Romans followed polytheistic religions, meaning that they worshiped more than one god. Polytheistic religions followed today include Shintoism and Taoism.
Theism is also a type of philosophical belief. It supports the existence of a god, as opposed to atheism, which argues that no god exists. Theism also states that a god exists apart from the world. This concept differs from pantheism, the belief that a god exists in all forces of nature and the universe.
