Teistas

Teistas, or theists, are individuals who believe in the existence of a deity or deities. The term is used across languages and contexts to describe people who affirm that a god or gods exist, as opposed to atheists, who deny existence, or agnostics, who suspend or doubt belief. The word theism comes from Greek roots meaning belief in the gods.

Theists can be monotheists, who believe in a single deity, or polytheists, who acknowledge multiple gods. Some theists also identify as henotheists, worshipping one god while recognizing others. Theistic beliefs commonly attribute personal characteristics to the divine, such as omniscience, omnipotence, and moral providence, and many theists accept revelation, sacred texts, miracles, and divine guidance as part of their religious framework.

Religious traditions that center around theistic belief include Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, and Zoroastrianism. Hinduism contains both theistic and non-theistic strands, with diverse practices ranging from devotion to a personal god to broader philosophical paths. Theism is often discussed in contrast to atheism and agnosticism and is a major topic in the philosophy of religion, where arguments for and against the existence of God or gods are debated.

In contemporary contexts, theists form a substantial portion of the global population in many regions, though secularism and non-religious worldviews have grown in others. The term theist thus encompasses a broad and diverse range of beliefs about the existence and nature of the divine.