Crossword Genius

Not a professor of divinity, evidently (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

atheist

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'professor of divinity evidently' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'not a' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'a' is within the answer.
The remaining letters 'theist' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for atheist that I've seen before include "One denying existence of a god" , "One who disbelieves the existence of gods" , "Person who does not believe in existence of a god" , "Unbeliever" , "One doesn't believe" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish News and The Guardian.
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