A Secular Age

Chapter 6 examines how the transition from traditional religious beliefs to Deism facilitated the emergence of exclusive humanism. Understanding God’s role in the world underwent significant changes during the late 17th and 18th centuries.

During this time, the concept of divine purpose became more focused on human flourishing, reducing the broader, inscrutable purposes traditionally attributed to God. Thinkers like Matthew Tindal argued that God’s primary concern was humanity’s mutual happiness and benefit rather than demanding worship or love beyond this.

Another significant change was the diminished role of divine grace. Deism proposed that human reason alone could understand and adhere to the rational order of the universe without the need for divine intervention. Even those who maintained traditional beliefs in grace found it becoming less central to the spiritual outlook of the time.

This period also saw a decline in the sense of mystery in religion. The mysteries of faith, such as the problem of evil or divine intervention, were increasingly downplayed or dismissed by Deist thinkers. God’s providence was now a clear, rational order humans could comprehend and follow without requiring supernatural insight.

Furthermore, there were diminished expectations of transformation in human beings beyond their current condition. The traditional Christian belief that humans partake in divine life was increasingly confined to the afterlife, losing its relevance to everyday religious life.