'Voltaire and the Bible'

Graham Gargett

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    4 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    An analysis of Voltaire's references to, attacks on, and - occasionally - positive responses to the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. I show that Voltaire had considerable knowledge of contemporary biblical scholarship, though at second hand. I review those aspects of the Bible he found most offensive, but also draw attention to passages that moved him. The resulting synthesis is less clear-cut than might have been thought, as - in some ways - Voltaire prefigures the more sophisticated biblical criticism of the nineteenth century.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationThe Cambridge Companion to Voltaire
    EditorsNicholas Cronk
    Place of PublicationCambridge
    PublisherCambridge University Press
    Pages193-204
    ISBN (Print)978-0-521-84973-9 and 978-0-521-61495-5
    Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - 2009

    Keywords

    • Voltaire
    • Bible
    • biblical criticism

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