What is post-theism?

What is post-theism?
Fall Worldview

TL;DR:

Post-theism claims humanity has outgrown God, treating Him as a relic of the past—but the Bible shows God is eternal, active, and fully present in the world today. No philosophy or dismissal can erase His power, and one day every person will recognize this.

from the old testament

  • God declares His eternal existence and sovereignty, showing that He is not limited to human concepts of time or relevance: “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me” (Isaiah 43:10).
  • The psalmist emphasizes God’s enduring presence and authority over all creation: “The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt” (Psalm 93:1).
  • God demonstrates that human attempts to dismiss or ignore Him do not nullify His power or plan, as He controls history and the destiny of nations (Daniel 4:35).

from the new testament

  • God’s eternal nature is affirmed: “I am the Alpha and the Omega…who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8), showing He transcends human attempts to relegate Him to the past.
  • The Bible tells us that one day, all people—even those who seek to invalidate the existence of God—will bow down and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9–11).
  • The work of Christ and the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit confirm that God is still active in the world and intimately involved with His people today (John 14:16–17).

implications for today

Post-theism is a term that finds its roots within philosophy; it is a variant of nontheism and it refers to the idea of a society that has no belief in God anymore. While we are used to hearing the word atheism (the belief there is no God) as being in direct opposition to theism (belief in the existence of God), post-theism considers both of these views to be outdated because they acknowledge the existence or even possible existence of God.

According to the post-theistic view, belief in God happened during a specific phase of human development that has since passed. Post-theism asserts that we have evolved beyond the point of needing any religious belief and therefore beyond the point of even needing to deny religious beliefs. According to this, both theism and atheism belong in the previous stage of human development and are thus no longer relevant within modern society. In a post-theistic worldview, the God of the Bible would be categorized in the same way that we view the ancient mythological gods.

Atheists claim that there is no God, but atheism would not exist as a mindset if belief in God had not existed in the first place. The fact of preexisting belief in God is what spurred on the need for a group that would choose to not believe in God.

Post-theism skirts this issue entirely because it is an original word and philosophy. Under the umbrella of post-theism, people are able to discuss a world entirely devoid of God, without even having to give Him any sort of semantic acknowledgment. While atheism and theism clash over whether or not to believe in God, post-theism takes it to the next level by dismissing the idea of God as completely antiquated. Many nontheists aspire to be in a society where God is not considered to be relevant, even for discussion purposes.

Post-theism claims to move beyond God, treating Him as obsolete—but the truth is, God doesn’t belong to the past; He’s alive, active, and very much part of the story we’re still living. While some dismiss Him as outdated, His presence proves that the final chapter hasn’t been written—and we’re still in it.

understand

  • Post-theism claims humanity has outgrown God and views Him as irrelevant.
  • God is eternal, sovereign, and actively present in the world today, regardless of what post-theism claims.
  • Everyone will one day recognize His authority even if they deny Him today.

reflect

  • How does the reality of God’s eternal presence influence the way you live?
  • What truths of who God is and how He is at work can you share with those who deny His existence or relevance?
  • How does knowing that everyone will ultimately recognize Christ encourage or challenge you, especially when thinking of those who opposed God?

engage

  • How does post-theism reflect the ways society tries to move beyond God, and how can we respond?
  • What should motivate us to demonstrate God’s relevance and active presence to those who dismiss Him as outdated?
  • How does the promise that all will acknowledge Christ encourage us to engage with people who reject or ignore God today?