Religious Tolerance in Eighteenth Century France: the idea of superstition in Voltaire's thought

This paper aims to analyze the notion of superstition in Voltaire’s work in the framework of restriction of civil rights and harsh persecution of Protestants in Eighteenth century France. First, we present considerations on the political and legal context of France in that century, identifying norms...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Veyl, Raul Salvador Blasi, Couto, Maria Laura Tolentino Marques Gontijo
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2019
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)
Repositorio:Revista de Ciências do Estado (Online)
Idioma:portugués
OAI Identifier:oai:periodicos.ufmg.br:article/15111
Acceso en línea:https://periodicos.ufmg.br/index.php/revice/article/view/e15111
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Voltaire
Religious toleration
Superstition
Tolerância religiosa
Superstição
Tolerancia religiosa
Superstición
Descripción
Sumario:This paper aims to analyze the notion of superstition in Voltaire’s work in the framework of restriction of civil rights and harsh persecution of Protestants in Eighteenth century France. First, we present considerations on the political and legal context of France in that century, identifying norms that restricted Protestants rights in an officially Catholic country. We also point concrete cases of trials marked by religious intolerance in which Voltaire took part, showing his role not only in theoretical discussions, but also in practical experience. Finally, we get to the relation between illuminists and the question of fanaticism and superstition, developing some thoughts on this concept in Voltaire’s work, always relating it to the topic of tolerance. It’s shown the role that him, such as many of his Enlightenment colleagues, attributed to Reason and Philosophy in the fight against superstition and in enlightening, supporting religious tolerance and the quest for the Protestants rights in a France where,historically, the different was rejected.