Divinity

Divinity refers to the state or quality of being divine, or to a deity, and, in scholarly usage, to the study of religion or theology. As a noun, divinity denotes a god or goddess in a given tradition; as a quality, it refers to attributes traditionally ascribed to divine beings, such as eternity, omnipotence, omniscience, benevolence, and sovereignty. Etymologically, it comes from Latin divinitas, from divinus meaning divine.

Across religious traditions, conceptions of divinity vary. In monotheistic faiths, divinity centers on a single, transcendent being who is creator, sustainer, and judge. In polytheistic systems, multiple deities may populate different realms of power or space. Some strands of philosophy and mysticism describe divinity as an impersonal principle, ultimate reality, or a pervasive presence within the cosmos (pantheism or panentheism). Others distinguish between a personal God and a more abstract divinity.

Philosophical debates about divinity address topics such as the problem of evil, divine hiddenness, the nature of divine attributes, and the relationship between divinity and humans (revelation, faith, and worship). The attributes traditionally associated with divinity are discussed in theology and metaphysics, including omnipotence, omniscience, omnibenevolence, immutability, and eternality, though different traditions interpret these attributes in diverse ways.

In everyday and academic usage, divinity also appears in educational and professional contexts, notably in the study of theology and religion, where degrees such as Master of Divinity (M.Div.) are awarded for clergy training and religious scholarship.