Early Deism in France
Author: C.J. Betts
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Published: 2012-12-06
Total Pages: 311
ISBN-13: 9400961162
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Author: C.J. Betts
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Published: 2012-12-06
Total Pages: 311
ISBN-13: 9400961162
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Author: C.J. Betts
Publisher:
Published: 1984
Total Pages: 0
ISBN-13: 9789024724338
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Author: Christopher J. Betts
Publisher:
Published: 1984
Total Pages: 309
ISBN-13: 9789024724338
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Author: C. J. Betts
Publisher:
Published: 1984
Total Pages: 309
ISBN-13: 9789024724338
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Author: C. J. Betts
Publisher:
Published: 1984
Total Pages: 309
ISBN-13: 9789024724338
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Author: C. J. Betts
Publisher:
Published: 1984
Total Pages: 309
ISBN-13: 9789024724338
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Author: Voltaire
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Published: 2010-10-29
Total Pages: 183
ISBN-13: 1616143274
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →In this little-known work by Voltaire (1694-1778)-now available in English for the first time- the famous French philosophe and satirist presents a wide-ranging and acerbic survey of religion throughout the world. Written toward the end of his life in 1769, the work was penned in the same decade as some of his more famous works-the Philosophical Dictionary, Questions on Miracles, and Lord Bolingbroke''s Important Examination-all of which questioned the basic tenets of Christianity.Voltaire called himself a deist and thus he professed belief in a supreme deity. But he was always sharply critical of institutional Christianity, especially its superstitions, the hypocrisy of its clergy, and its abuse of political power. Both his deism and his critical attitude toward Christianity are manifest in God and Human Beings, which is, in effect, one of the first works of comparative religion. Comparing Christianity to the more ancient belief systems of the Jews, Hindus, Chinese, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Babylonians, Phoenicians, and Arabs, he notes a common tendency to worship one supreme god, despite the host of subordinate deities in many of these religions. He also critiques the many superstitions and slavish rituals in religion generally, but he emphasizes that in this respect Christianity is no better than other faiths. Thus, the clergy''s claim that Christianity is God''s supreme revelation to humanity has no basis from an objective perspective. This first English translation of a classic critique of religion includes an introduction by writer, scholar, and editor S. T. Joshi, who wrote the article on Voltaire in The New Encyclopedia of Unbelief (edited by Tom Flynn). Anticipating many of the themes of the later Higher Criticism and rationalist critiques of religion, this incisive, witty treatise by the great French skeptic will be a welcome addition to the libraries of anyone with an interest in the philosophy of religion, intellectual history, or the Enlightenment.
Author: Jeffrey R Wigelsworth
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Published: 2013-07-19
Total Pages: 417
ISBN-13: 184779730X
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →This is the first complete study of English deists as a group in several decades and it argues for a new interpretation of deism in the English Enlightenment. While there have been many recent studies of the deist John Toland, the writings of other contemporary deists have been forgotten. With extensive analysis of lesser known figures such as Anthony Collins, Matthew Tindal, Thomas Chub, and Thomas Morgan, in addition to unique insights into Toland, Deism in Enlightenment England offers a much broader assessment of what deism entailed in the eighteenth century. Readers will see how previous interpretations of English deists, which place these figures on an irreligious trajectory leading towards modernity, need to be revised. This book uses deists to address a number of topics and themes and theme in English history and will be of particular interest to scholars of Enlightenment history, history of science, theology and politics, and the early modern era.
Author: Clifford Mortimer Crist
Publisher:
Published: 1934
Total Pages: 76
ISBN-13:
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