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Religious Studies & Theology vocabulary · Beliefs and Doctrine

Divine

Meaning in religious studies & theology, with examples

/dɪˈvaɪn/adjectiveCore term

In religious studies & theology, divine means: Relating to God or a god, or coming from God; as a noun, the divine refers to God or the ultimate sacred reality in general terms.

In Turkish: ilahi, tanrısal

How it is used

Frequent in theological phrases: divine revelation, divine will, divine law, divine attributes, divine justice. In comparative writing, 'the divine' is a useful neutral term that does not assume one tradition's idea of God. The Orthodox eucharistic service is called the Divine Liturgy.

Example sentences

  1. Islamic theology discusses the divine attributes, such as knowledge, power and will.

  2. Many traditions describe the divine as beyond the reach of human language.

Common collocations

  • divine revelation
  • divine will
  • divine attributes
  • divine law
  • the divine
  • deityA god or goddess; any being that is worshipped as divine in a religious tradition.
  • sacredSet apart and treated with special reverence because of a connection to God, the divine or religious tradition; often contrasted with the profane, or ordinary.
  • transcendentExisting beyond the physical world and the limits of human experience and understanding; often used to describe God or ultimate reality.
  • revelationIn many religions, the communication of truth, will or guidance from God to human beings, often through prophets or sacred texts.

More terms: Beliefs and Doctrine

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