Deists

Deism is a philosophical position that posits the existence of a creator who designed the universe but does not intervene in its workings or in human affairs after creation. Deists generally reject revealed religion, miracles, and the authority of organized churches, arguing that reason and observation of the natural world are sufficient to infer God's existence and a basic moral order. They emphasize natural theology, the knowledge of God derived from reason and nature rather than from scriptures.

Origins and development: The term emerged in 17th-century England during the Enlightenment as part of a broader move toward natural religion. Deist writers argued that morality and the knowability of God come from human reason, not from revelation. The popular image of God in deism is a creator who established natural laws—often described with an analogy of a clockmaker—and then refrained from direct intervention.

Notable figures associated with deist ideas include John Toland, Anthony Collins, and Matthew Tindal in Britain, Voltaire in France, and American figures such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, who were influenced by deist thought to varying degrees. Deism also influenced debates on religion and politics, including critiques of clerical authority. Paine's The Age of Reason explicitly defended deist positions.

Legacy and reception: Deism declined in the 19th century with the rise of scientific naturalism and modern theology, but some secular and liberal religious thinkers continue to defend natural theology and non-interventionist conceptions of God. Contemporary discussions of religion and morality sometimes echo deist critiques of revelation and organized religion.