Anticlerical Legacies: The Deistic Reception of Thomas Hobbes, c. 1670–1740

Anticlerical legacies explores how English deists and freethinkers in the 17th and 18th centuries received and interpreted the ideas of Thomas Hobbes, highlighting their significant influence on the English anticlerical campaign and the emergence of the early Enlightenment. It demonstrates that many writers, despite the unpopularity of Hobbesian ideas, consistently engaged with his theories and invoked his authority, using Hobbesian weapons to fight against priestcraft and secure civil harmony, peace, and stability.

Format: Hardback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 09 January 2024
Publisher: Manchester University Press

Anticlerical Legacies is a groundbreaking exploration of the profound impact of Thomas Hobbes' ideas on the English deists and freethinkers during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Hobbes, widely regarded as one of the most influential English philosophers of all time, left an indelible mark on modern political and religious thought, shaping the course of intellectual discourse for centuries to come. This comprehensive study delves into the enduring legacy of Hobbes' philosophy, focusing on the readers who were most receptive to his critical and radical ideas in the decades following his death. By examining the ways in which Hobbes' ideas shaped the English anticlerical campaign, which reached its zenith in the early eighteenth century, this book sheds light on the crucial role played by these thinkers in the emergence of the early Enlightenment.

What emerges from this study is a remarkable revelation: a significant number of writers, previously overlooked or underestimated, were deeply influenced by Hobbes' ideas. Charles Blount, John Toland, Anthony Collins, Matthew Tindal, Thomas Morgan, and many others, were not only engaged with Hobbes' theories consistently but also boldly invoked his authority, despite the prevailing unpopularity of such a stance. These writers, often referred to as "Hobbesians," carried on Hobbes' war against the kingdom of darkness, employing various Hobbesian weapons in their own battle against priestcraft.

Through meticulous analysis of the nuanced theories developed by the deists and freethinkers and the intense dialogues they engaged in with the orthodoxy, this book showcases the intellectual sophistication and value of these thinkers as independent theorists in their own right. The case of Hobbes and his successors serves as a testament to the fact that anticlericalism was not merely a fringe movement but rather a vital component of a broader agenda aimed at securing civil harmony, peace, and stability. By examining the complex interplay between Hobbes' ideas, the anticlerical campaign, and the broader social and political context of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Anticlerical Legacies offers a fresh perspective on the enduring influence of Hobbes' philosophy on modern thought.

Weight: 490g
Dimension: 163 x 241 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526168825