Which viewpoint about the role of God and religion developed as a result of Enlightenment rationalism?

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The correct answer is Deism, as it aligns closely with the principles of Enlightenment rationalism. Deism emerged during the Enlightenment as a belief system that posits the existence of a creator who does not intervene in the universe. This perspective reflects the rationalist emphasis on reason and empirical evidence, suggesting that while a divine being may have created the world, the operation of the universe can be understood through natural laws and human reasoning rather than through religious doctrine or direct divine intervention.

Deists often rejected organized religion and viewed the universe as a clockwork mechanism set in motion by God, who then allowed it to run according to its own laws. This belief system underscored the Enlightenment ideals of skepticism about traditional beliefs and the elevation of reason over faith.

While agnosticism is the position of not knowing whether God exists, and skepticism questions the validity of knowledge claims generally, both are distinct from the deistic understanding of a rational creator. Romanticism, on the other hand, focused on emotions and individual experience rather than reason, pushing back against the rationalism of the Enlightenment. Thus, Deism is the most representative viewpoint that developed from Enlightenment thought regarding God and religion.

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