《尚書》為六經之一，向被稱為「上古之書」，是中國最早的「歷史紀錄」和「政治哲學」寶典。其中「天」的概念反映了一人道化和理性化的自然宗教，或者說是自然神學。《尚書》裡的「天」同時具有「自然之天」和「超自然人格神」的含意，而「天秩」和「天敘」的概念則顯示自然律和道德律在這自然宗教中的結合。又《尚書》中的「天」依中國政治傳承的方式－革命以轉移政權的歷史經驗，衍生出「天命」的概念。「天命」與人相依互動，以「民本」和「德治」為依歸，以決定其授受，深具「道德神學」(moral theology)的內涵。「天」的概念之後發展成為儒道墨三家形而上思想的基礎，成為中國人本主義宗教精神的象徵。

Shang-shu; T'ien, Heaven; Natural; Religion; Moral Theo Shang-shu or the Book of Ancient History has long been taken as the oldest record for Chinese history, dating from the 20(superscript th) Century B. C. It is composed of a series of political documents said to be issued by Yao, Shun, Yu, and the rulers and sagacious officials of Hsia, Shang, and Chou, and therefore can be regarded as a source book of the philosophy of politics and of history. It is also worth noting the term "T'ien" or "Heaven" in the Shang-shu, a character implying both nature and personal God, indicates an original form of natural religion and morality theology which bears great significance to any rationalized and humanized religion. There are also the terms "T'ien-chi" (Heavenly Order) and "T'ien-hsu" (Heavenly Precepts) referring to both natural law and moral law, and the combination of the two has always been one of the characteristics of natural religion. Moreover, following the historical fact that the founders of Shang and Chou took their power from their predecessors through military revolution, the term "T'ien-Ming" (Heavenly Mandate) was derived from "T'ien" as the divine justification for sovereignty. The term is closely associated with "people's will" and "the sovereign's virtue," which suggests some interdependent relationship between "Heaven" and man. Later on, the concept of "Heaven" became less qualified as personal God and turned to be the shared assumption of the metaphysics of Confucianism, Taoism, and Mohism, which was a sign for the humanistic nature of ancient Chinese religion.