Language:
English
Year of publication:
1993
Titel der Quelle:
AJS Review
Angaben zur Quelle:
18,2 (1993) 223-243
Keywords:
Voltaire,
;
Antisemitism Philosophy
Abstract:
Criticizes the traditional view of Voltaire's anti-Judaism, especially that of Arthur Hertzberg in "The French Enlightenment and the Jews", according to which Voltaire believed that the Jews were in fact the inventors of Christianity, i.e. they imposed their religion on peoples utterly alien to them. Hertzberg, in particular, asserts that Voltaire regarded Judaism and Christianity as being essentially the same, although Christianity had overcome some of the faults of Judaism. Contends that examination of Voltaire's writings shows that although the philosopher indeed used the Old Testament and the relationship between Judaism and Christianity to castigate the latter religion, he nevertheless regarded them as two essentially different religions, and saw in Christianity the greater evil because of its political power and greater intolerance.
URL:
Locate this publication in Israeli libraries
Permalink