nontheist

A nontheist is a person who does not hold theistic beliefs in gods or deities. The term serves as a neutral umbrella for individuals who do not subscribe to a god-based worldview and is used in sociology, religious studies, and demographic surveys. It can include atheists, agnostics, secularists, humanists, freethinkers, and others who do not affirm the existence of a deity or deities. The label emphasizes the absence of theistic commitment rather than prescriptive doctrine.

Nontheism is often contrasted with atheism and agnosticism. Atheism denotes disbelief in deities, while agnosticism refers to the stance that the existence of deities is unknown or unknowable. Nontheism, by contrast, describes a lack of theistic worldview without prescribing a single position on belief or knowledge. Because of its breadth, some people prefer more specific identifications, while others use nontheist to reflect a non-religious or non-theistic stance across different cultures and communities.

In practice, individuals identify as nontheist for a variety of reasons, including philosophical naturalism, secular ethics, or cultural or personal identity. The term is most common in academic and activist contexts, where it helps describe populations without aligning them to a single doctrinal category. It does not imply a uniform set of beliefs or practices, and nontheists may hold a wide range of worldviews, including spiritual or humanistic orientations.

See also: Atheism, Agnosticism, Secularism, Humanism, Freethought, Nonreligion.