Religious cosmologies are ways of explaining the history and evolution of the universe based, at least in part, on the acceptance of principles that cannot or need not be justified on the basis of accepted scientific arguments (See also: scientific cosmology). Most frequently, such theories begin by positing the existence of a god (or gods) who created and/or maintain(s) the universe. Some religious cosmologies have their basis in the teachings of particular religions or religious texts, whereas others are more general reactions to the perceived difficulties in explaining the entire universe without the actions of a planning / coordinating intelligence.

Although religious cosmologies have been under attack from rationalistic science, they are now commonly accepted as epistemologically valid ways of thinking. The main reason for this change is the belief that science itself strongly depends on assumptions that derive from our worldview or religious convictions.

Generally all philosophical systems with a tendency towards anti-foundationalism, like postmodernism, will be open to this way of thinking. The reformed epistemologists even see it as possible, that those kind of beliefs can be properly basic.

See also

• Creationism
• Intelligent design
• Origins beliefs
• Existence
• Creation (theology)
• Creator god
• Dating Creation
• Young Earth Creationism
• Day-Age Creationism
• Old Earth Creationism
• Evolutionary creationism
• Gap Creationism
• Cosmogony
• Cosmological argument
• Biblical cosmology
• Deism
• Theism
• Martinus cosmology (using the word in a non-standard sense)