"It is not the Head but the Heart that is the Seat of Atheism"

Mary Astell’s assertion that atheism lies rooted in the heart rather than the head points to a profound distinction between intellectual doubt and emotional disposition. Rather than attributing disbelief in God to a failure of logic or rational evidence, she identifies the locus of atheism within the domain of affect, desire, and will. The head, representing reason, may wrestle with theological arguments, but it is the heart, seat of inclination, passion, and moral orientation, that ultimately determines one’s stance towards faith or unbelief.

Astell suggests that the impulse to reject belief in God stems less from a compelling intellectual argument and more from a deep-seated preference, perhaps influenced by personal desires, pride, past wounds, or an unwillingness to submit to divine authority. Human affections and motives, not simply conclusions reached after deliberation, drive the rejection of religious faith. By relocating atheism to the heart, she subtly indicts the moral temperament of the unbeliever, implying that atheism is often chosen rather than compelled by evidence. The heart, symbolizing the inner orientation and spirit, can become closed or hardened, fostering not just doubt but resistance to faith’s demands or implications.

Implicit in Astell’s view is the idea that faith requires more than intellectual assent; it demands a transformation of one’s loves and loyalties. Belief in God, thus, is not reducible to syllogisms or proofs but is deeply entwined with what a person cherishes, pursues, or resists embracing. Through this aphorism, Astell not only contests the sufficiency of rational arguments for atheism but also underscores the existential character of belief, suggesting that true conviction arises only when the heart is open, humble, and receptive to grace. Atheism, in this light, becomes not merely a philosophical conclusion but a reflection of the soul’s deepest posture towards the divine.