The phrase “God is dead“ comes from the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, especially in his work Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883–1885).
Meaning:
Nietzsche wasn’t saying that a literal god had lived and then died.
He meant that the idea of God — particularly the Christian God — had lost its power over people’s lives.
With the rise of science, secularism, and rational thinking, traditional religious beliefs were no longer the central foundation of meaning, morality, and purpose.
Nietzsche saw this as both a crisis and an opportunity: humanity would need to create its own values instead of relying on divine authority.
“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him.”