Enlightenment approaches to pagan religions are various and complex. Ancient myths are considered like ridiculous fables or fascinating adventures. Some authors look at pagan rites like sad memories of the miserable past of mankind, others like a joyful expression of the passions. The nature itself of polytheistic religions is peaceful and tolerant according to some, ferocious and warmongering according to others. This article aims to show some aspects of the modern debate on paganism. In particular, it focuses on the question of polytheism’s supposed tolerance or intolerance to shed light on its theoretical and political issues in Eighteenth-century thought.

Lugubre et riant, doux et intolérant : le paganisme vu par les Lumières

NICOLI' L
2016-01-01

Abstract

Enlightenment approaches to pagan religions are various and complex. Ancient myths are considered like ridiculous fables or fascinating adventures. Some authors look at pagan rites like sad memories of the miserable past of mankind, others like a joyful expression of the passions. The nature itself of polytheistic religions is peaceful and tolerant according to some, ferocious and warmongering according to others. This article aims to show some aspects of the modern debate on paganism. In particular, it focuses on the question of polytheism’s supposed tolerance or intolerance to shed light on its theoretical and political issues in Eighteenth-century thought.
2016
L’attitude des philosophes des Lumières face au paganisme est assez variée et complexe. Les mythes sont souvent regardés comme des fables ridicules, mais aussi comme des aventures fascinantes. Pour certains auteurs, les cultes païens sont de tristes souvenirs du passé misérable de la race humaine ; pour d’autres ils sont, au contraire, l’expression joyeuse des passions. La nature même du polythéisme est envisagée par certains comme douce et tolérante, par d’autres comme féroce et vouée à la guerre de religion. L’article vise à présenter certains aspects du débat sur les religions païennes, en se concentrant en particulier sur le problème de leur tolérance pour en montrer les enjeux théoriques et politiques dans la pensée du XVIIIe siècle.
Paganism, Enlightenment, Tolerance, Polytheism, Myths, Unbelief, Laicization, Boulanger, d’Holbach, Montesquieu, Hume, Voltaire, Rousseau
paganesimo, Illuminismo, tolleranza, politeismo, miti, incredulità, laicità, Boulanger, d'Holbach, Montesquieu, Hume Voltaire, Rousseau
paganisme, Lumières, tolérance, polythéisme, mythes, incroyance, laïcité, Boulanger, d’Holbach, Montesquieu, Hume, Voltaire, Rousseau
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11584/437059
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