Christianity Not Mysterious: Or, a Treatise Shewing, That There Is Nothing in the Gospel Contrary to
In Logos we have Measuring the Distance between Locke and Toland: Reason, Revelation, and Rejection during the Locke-Stillingfleet Debate | Logos Bible Software but nothing by the Deist Toland. Toland's is sufficiently influential in its own right and an important counter point to the Stone-Campbell Locke-influenced movement, that it needs to be in Logos.
from Perplexity:
"Christianity Not Mysterious" is a seminal work by John Toland, published in 1696, that sparked significant controversy and debate in religious and philosophical circles. The treatise argues that reason is the foundation of all certainty, including religious belief, and that there is nothing in Christianity that contradicts or transcends reason.
Toland's central thesis is that the true religion must be reasonable and intelligible. He asserts that these qualities are found in Christianity and that the Christian religion was divinely revealed from Heaven5. The author maintains that there is nothing in the Gospel contrary to reason or above it, and that no Christian doctrine can properly be called a mystery.
The work challenges the prevailing notion that religious mysteries are beyond human comprehension. Toland argues that what are often called "mysteries" in Christianity are simply doctrines that were once unknown but have since been revealed. He contends that once revealed, these doctrines should be as easily understood as any other matter in the world.
Toland criticizes the clergy for obscuring simple Christian truths with a maze of ceremonies, customs, and claims of special insight. He argues that this practice serves their self-interest rather than the true spirit of Christianity. The author emphasizes that reason is not less divine than revelation and that no miracle is contrary to reason.
The treatise also addresses the nature of faith, asserting that it is not an implicit assent to anything above reason. Toland argues that this notion contradicts the ends of religion, the nature of man, and the goodness and wisdom of God. He equates faith with knowledge, stating that if knowledge means understanding what is believed, then faith is indeed knowledge.
Toland's work was met with significant backlash. On September 18, 1697, "Christianity Not Mysterious" was burned in Dublin by order of Parliament. The book's arguments threatened the supremacy of the Established Church over other churches in Ireland, leading to Toland's exile from the country.
Despite the controversy, or perhaps because of it, "Christianity Not Mysterious" proved to be influential. It went further in defending reason over revelation in Christian belief than previous rationalists, including John Locke, had dared. This provoked a distinguished Irish counter-tradition that included figures such as Jonathan Swift, George Berkeley, William King, and Edmund Burke.
The book is considered one of the classics of freethought, deism, and Enlightenment rationalism. It represents an early expression of the philosophy of the Age of Enlightenment, challenging traditional religious authority and advocating for the use of reason in matters of faith.
Included with the main text is "An Apology for Mr. Toland," a short essay written to a member of the House of Commons in Ireland before the book was condemned. This addition provides context for the controversy surrounding the work and offers insight into Toland's defense of his ideas.
"Christianity Not Mysterious" remains a crucial text for understanding the development of English Deism, freethought, and the Enlightenment in the United Kingdom. Its arguments for the compatibility of reason and faith continue to resonate in ongoing debates about the relationship between religion and rationality.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."