lOMoARcPSD|21126671
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism - THEO
104
Introduction to Christian Thought (D) (Liberty
University)
lOMoARcPSD|21126671
I. Moralistic Therapeutic Deism
A. Came from a book in 2005
1. Research
a) Adolescence
b) Christian Smith and Denton
c) Prevailing worldview/religion of adolescence
d) 4 year time period
2. Thesis
a) The de facto dominant religion among contemporary U.S.
8Moralistic Therapeutic Deism9
B. Descriptions/aspects
1. God Exists who created and orders the world and watches over human life
and earth
2. God wants people to be good, fair, and nice to each other as taught in
the Bible and by most religions
3. The central goal of life is to be happy and feel good about oneself
4. God does not need to be particularly involved in one9s life except
when God9s needed to resolve a problem
5. Good people go to heaven when they die
C. Breakdown of the Terms
1. Moralistic
a) Happy
b) Good, moral person
c) Feeling good about oneself
2. Therapeutic
a) Feeling good, happy, secure, and at peace
b) Not about repentance, obedience, or suffering
3. Deism
a) Absentee god
