nondivine

Nondivine is an adjective used to describe anything that is not divine: lacking divine status, sacred power, or godlike origin. In theological, philosophical, and secular contexts, the term marks a contrast with the divine and with sacred authority. While divine typically denotes beings, powers, or realities considered godlike or worthy of worship, nondivine denotes things regarded as created, finite, or lacking sacred authority.

Etymology: The word derives from the prefix non- meaning "not" and divinus meaning "divine," combining into a term that has appeared in English to indicate absence of divinity. Its precise connotations vary by tradition and discourse.

Usage in theological discourse: In debates about providence, creation, and agency, scholars may distinguish between divine causation and nondivine processes. Nondivine beings include humans and other creatures, as well as natural phenomena that are not attributed sacred power. In many traditions, nondivine differs from sacred or holy, which denote special status granted by the divine.

Literary and secular usage: In fiction or secular writing, nondivine can label mortal or ordinary characters, or describe natural forces and objects as non-religious in character. The term is less common in everyday speech and may be replaced by mortal, secular, or worldly, depending on the context.

See also: divinity, deity, sacred, secular, mortal, creature, theology. Notes: The term is context-sensitive and its precise sense depends on the tradition or discourse in which it is used.

---