The Counsel of Trent #1142 - Are Non-Catholics Actually Atheists?
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Mar 18, 2026 A lively debate on whether broad or watered-down notions of God collapse into atheism. Historical cases show early Christians were called atheists for rejecting pagan gods. The discussion contrasts classical infinite God concepts with limited or embodied deities like Mormon views. A dossier-style test for dominant divine traits and the idea of practical atheism are explored.
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Ancient Christians Branded Atheists For Rejecting Pagan Gods
- Christians accused as 'atheists' in ancient Rome reflected refusal to worship civic gods rather than denial of any deity.
- Trent Horn shows Justin Martyr rebutting the charge by affirming Christians worship the Maker of the universe, a historically rooted monotheism.
Rejecting Specific Gods Is Not The Same As Atheism
- Atheism is defined as the absence of belief in God or gods, distinct from merely rejecting specific deities.
- Horn cites the Oxford Handbook of Atheism to distinguish rejecting pagan gods from denying any divine being at all.
Vague Godtalk Can Amount To Practical Atheism
- Saying 'God exists' can be vacuous if 'God' is reduced to a metaphor or mental construct with none of God's traditional attributes.
- Horn uses the Santa Claus analogy and the Crossan exchange to show claims that make God's existence mind-dependent are effectively meaningless.
