Skip to content

Human Questions

What Is the Sensus Divinitatis?

The sensus divinitatis is Plantinga's proposed natural capacity for forming belief in God in appropriate circumstances.

Quick Answer

The sensus divinitatis is the proposed human capacity to form belief in God directly in certain experiences, analogous to ordinary perceptual or memorial belief.

plantingareformed epistemologygod

Key Takeaways

  • It is central to Reformed epistemology.
  • It aims to explain non-inferential theistic belief.
  • Diversity and alleged malfunction are major objections.

Question

Is this an argument for God?

Quick Answer

No. It is an account of how belief in God might be warranted without being inferred from a formal proof.

Objections

Critics ask why sincere people form incompatible religious beliefs and how the proposed faculty can be independently assessed.

Knowledge Network

Archive references

Sources

1 scholarly source

ZHAIBIAN Editorial Board reviewed

Reviewed by ZHAIBIAN AI Editorial Review · 2026-08-23

Based on 1 scholarly sourceLast updated 2026-08-23