Essay on Deist: Age of Enlightenment and Deists

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Anthony Caceres
Professor Thompson
Western Civilization II
24 September 2013

What was a Deist and what did he believe as far as religion was concerned. Give an example of a Deist in either Europe or America? During the Age of the Enlightenment there were many profound and philosophical thinkers, of these “thinkers” many were Deist. People like Isaac Newton, Jean Jacques Rousseau, John Locke, Francois Voltaire, and Francis Bacon were all significant Deists. Deists fall under the category of Deism. Deism was a term chiefly used during the intellectual movement of The Enlightenment that accepted the existence of a creator on the basis of reason but rejected belief in a supernatural deity who interacts with humankind on a daily basis. Deism pictures God as the great “clockmaker” who created the clock, wound it up, and let it go, ticking away endlessly. In essence a deist believes God exists and created the world, but does not interfere with His creation. Deists deny the Trinity, the inspiration of the Bible, the deity of Christ, miracles, and any supernatural act of redemption or salvation. The Age of the Enlightenment was time when people began to question authority, question their beliefs, and all in all question everything they once knew. This is why Deism was on the up-rising, simply sky-rocketing during the Age of The Enlightenment. More and more individuals belonging to the higher classes of Europe with an education were becoming Deists. The church, which was in charged during The Enlightenment at the time, was very fearful and concerned of the growing popularity of Deism. Deists rejected many basic Christian Biblical teachings and moral standards because they believed these were not confirmed by human reason and scientific research. This had the church scrambling for answers on how to combat Deism and how to inform people in the higher classes of Europe not to convert over to becoming Deists Isaac Newton is credited by many as being the greatest and most influential Deists during the
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