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Atheism - GCSE Religious Studies Definition

Reviewed by: Angela Yates

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What is Atheism?

In GCSE Religious Studies, atheism is generally understood as the philosophical position that there is no God or gods. A person who does not believe that there is a deity or God is known as an atheist.

The word atheism comes from the Greek word “theos”, meaning God. A theist believes in the existence of a God, an atheist does not.

Atheists reject the idea that God exists for several reasons:

  • There is no compelling evidence for the existence of God.

  • The arguments against God’s existence are the more convincing arguments.

  • Developments in science contradict much of what has traditionally been believed about God.

Atheism is not a religion. Atheists take a divergent stance from the major world religions in beliefs such as the existence of life after death.

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Angela Yates

Reviewer: Angela Yates

Expertise: Religious Studies Content Creator

Angela graduated with a first-class degree in Theology and Religious Studies from the University of Manchester. After completing a PGCE and CCRS, she taught RE for around fifteen years before becoming a full-time writer and educational content creator. Angela is passionate about creating Religious Education resources to enable students to achieve their full potential.

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