natural theology

American  

noun

1. theology based on knowledge of the natural world and on human reason, apart from revelation.

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natural theology British  

noun

1. the attempt to derive theological truth, and esp the existence of God, from empirical facts by reasoned argument Compare revealed religion fideism revelation

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Other Word Forms

• natural theologian noun

Etymology

Origin of natural theology

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

And he specifically criticized what used to be called “natural theology”—the idea that, as the 19th Psalm suggests, one could learn about God by studying nature.

From Scientific American

Reading Malthus and thinking about the natural world, Charles realized that nature was not happy and peaceful, as Paley had described in his natural theology books.

From Literature

The reality of the moral nature the one great question of natural theology, 56.

From Project Gutenberg

He systematised and popularised the philosophy of Leibnitz, and gave a strong impulse to that development of natural theology and rationalism which soon almost drove out revelation by rendering it unnecessary—also Wolff′ian.—n.

From Project Gutenberg

Briefly, the ideas of the Society are based on natural theology, or the human instinct, which tells almost all men that there is a God.

From Project Gutenberg