Concept
Natural religion
Overview
Natural religion most frequently means the "religion of nature", in which God, the soul, spirits, and all objects of the supernatural are considered as part of nature and not separate from it. Sometimes "natural religion" is taken to mean a pantheistic belief that nature itself is divine; conversely, the term is also used in philosophy to describe some aspects of religion that are said to be knowable apart from divine revelation through logic and reason alone, for example, the existence of the unmoved Mover, the first cause of the universe.
Most authors consider natural religion as not only the foundation of monotheistic religions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baháʼí Faith, but also distinct from them. According to some authors, aspects of natural religion are found universally among all peoples, often in such forms as shamanism and animism. They are still practiced in many parts of the world. The religions of Native American societies for example are considered as possessing some aspects of natural religion.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.
Now the arguments for Natural Religion are plainly of this kind; and nothing but the most perverse, obstinate metaphysics can reject them. Consider, anatomise the eye; survey its structure and contrivance; and tell me, from your own feeling, if the idea of a contriver does not immediately flow in upon you with a force like that of sensation.
David Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion
States what Natural religion is; the book is titled for Natural religion.
Therefore, it is written: "You served them who by nature are not gods," (Gal. 4:8), and a gloss adds, "Gods not in nature, but in human opinion." Nevertheless this name "God" is communicable, not in its whole signification, but in some part of it by way of similitude; so that those are called gods who share in divinity by likeness, according to the text, "I have said, You are gods" (Ps. 81:6).
Aquinas Thomas, Summa Theologica, Part I
States what Natural religion is; the author is tied to Natural religion in the knowledge graph.
Happily, these circumstances are all to be found in the subject of NATURAL RELIGION. What truth so obvious, so certain, as the being of a God, which the most ignorant ages have acknowledged, for which the most refined geniuses have ambitiously striven to produce new proofs and arguments?
David Hume, Philosophical Works, v. 2
The author is tied to Natural religion in the knowledge graph; opens on Natural religion.
Philosophers who discussed Natural religion
Related ideas
- Globe Pequot Publishing Group
- The Varieties of Religious Experience
- Gnosticism
- Philosophy
- Heaven
- Animism
- Judaism
- Hylomorphism
- Nicolas Malebranche
- Monotheism
- Matter
- Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- Augustine of Hippo
- Encyclopedia.com
- Thomas Aquinas
- Nature
- Neoplatonism
- Pantheism
- Indigenous peoples of the Americas
- Theory of forms
- Revelation
- Stanford University
- Soul
- Aristotle
Place in the tradition
Part of American philosophy.