de-theologizing
|de-the-o-lo-gi-zing|
/diːˈθiːlədʒaɪz/
(de-theologize)
remove theology
Etymology
'de-theologizing' originates from English, combining the prefix 'de-' (from Latin 'de-') meaning 'remove' or 'away from' and the verb 'theologize' (from 'theology' + suffix '-ize').
'theology' comes from Greek 'theologia' (θεολογία) meaning 'discourse about god' ('theos' 'god' + 'logia' 'study/speech'); 'theology' passed into Latin and then into English; the verb 'theologize' was formed in English by adding '-ize' to 'theology'; later the prefix 'de-' was attached to form 'de-theologize' and then the gerund/participle 'de-theologizing'.
Initially related words (from Greek 'theologia') meant 'talking or reasoning about God'; over time the compound with the prefix 'de-' came to mean 'removing or reducing theological interpretation' rather than describing theology itself.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process or act of removing theological content or interpretation (gerund or nominalization of the verb).
The de-theologizing of certain rituals changed public perception of their purpose.
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Verb 1
to remove theological interpretations, elements, or language from something; to reinterpret or present something in non-theological (secular or neutral) terms.
Scholars advocated de-theologizing the text to study its social and political context.
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Last updated: 2025/11/25 16:31