The Enlightenment
Religious Studies: KS3, topic 2.5.5
The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment was a period when science and reason became much more important. This meant that the conflict between science and religion became much bigger.
The Enlightenment
- The Enlightenment is a period in history when there was an explosion of interest in science and reason.
- It can also be seen as a time when people started to move on from accepting the teachings of religious leaders. They wanted to find out what is true for themselves.
- It's difficult to date the Enlightenment precisely. But it was definitely happening in the 18th Century.
Scientific method
- The scientific method is about experience and knowledge gained through observation and testing.
- One example of this is Isaac Newton’s discovery of gravity. He saw that things always fall to the ground when released.
- Newton then calculated that this happened at a consistent rate.
- This allowed him to put forward the idea of a force called gravity.
- People supporting the scientific method say anything people believe without testing is not reliable knowledge.
Baron d'Holbach
- Baron d’Holbach (1723 – 1789) was a French thinker, materialist and atheist.
- He preferred to speak of what he called The System of Nature.
- Being a materialist meant that he believed the universe and everything in it is just matter and nothing more.
Baron d'Holbach and the Church
- D'Holbach said this matter is constantly changing and moving as a result of cause and effect.
- He did not think there was any need to believe in God or any other supernatural power to explain this.
- At this time, France was a strongly Catholic country, and the reaction to d’Holbach was fierce.
- But the Church did not try to prove d’Holbach wrong, it just demanded that his books and ideas be suppressed.
Science vs religion
- The Enlightenment brings the conflict between science and religion at the time into sharp focus.
- Scientists demanded proof. The Church demanded obedience.
- So, the Enlightenment was seen as a direct challenge to religion.
- The Christian Church found many of its beliefs were being questioned and its authority being undermined. But there was no going back.
- People increasingly believed in the power of the human mind to discover the answers to the hard questions in life.
Test yourself on The Enlightenment
In which century was The Enlightenment happening?
What does it mean to be a materialist?