ABSTRACT

The writers known as the English deists were not simply religious controversialists, but agents of reform who contributed to the emergence of modernity. This title claims that these writers advocated a failed ideology which itself declined after 1730. It argues for an evolution of their ideas into a more modern form.

chapter 1|24 pages

Deism, Enlightenment and Modernity

part I|78 pages

Problematizing Revealed Religion

chapter 2|22 pages

Christianity Challenged

chapter 3|24 pages

Two Clerical Critics

chapter 4|30 pages

The Diffusion of Disbelief

part II|48 pages

Agents of Reform

chapter 5|16 pages

‘Philosophy' and Reform

chapter 6|20 pages

‘Religion' and Modernity

chapter |10 pages

Conclusion