Middlebury

RELI 1073

Spinoza’s Critique of Religion

Spinoza's Critique of Religion
What is the role of religion in a modern state? When religious freedoms collide with state interests, which should prevail? Spinoza rejected the authority of religion and the divine origin of Scripture, laying the groundwork for modern Biblical criticism and championing the separation of religion and state. A contemporary denounced the Theological-Political Treatise as “a book forged in hell.” We begin with a close reading of the Treatise, followed by selections from his Ethics and correspondence, and consider Spinoza’s long legacy: the rise of secularism, the origins of Biblical criticism, and the reasons why Spinoza has been called “the first modern Jew.”
Subject:
Religion
Department:
Religion
Division:
Humanities
Requirements Fulfilled:
EUR PHL WTR
Equivalent Courses:
PHIL 1073

Sections in Winter 2023

Winter 2023

RELI1073A-W23 Lecture (Schine)