Introduction.

...dead. One may praise Descartes’ methodRefers to the philosophical system of René Descartes (1596–1650), which emphasized systematic doubt and logical deduction as the foundation of knowledge. as much as one likes; I know it is exalted above all praise. Yet one must admit that AthenagorasAthenagoras of Athens (c. 133–190 AD), a Christian philosopher who wrote a famous defense of Christians to Emperor Marcus Aurelius, using Greek logic to prove Christian doctrines., who lived fifteen hundred years before our modern philosophers, had already chosen a method at that time which was at least as perfect as that of Descartes.

Graceoriginal: Die Grazie — here referring to the aesthetic and rhetorical elegance of a writing style that makes complex truths more appealing., that inseparable companion of Lactantius’Lactantius (c. 250–325 AD) was an advisor to Emperor Constantine. Known as the "Christian Cicero," he was celebrated for his smooth and persuasive Latin prose. gentle and harmonious eloquence, instills a taste for the truth he praises, makes its value more tangible, and heightens the charms of its beauty. The order, coherence, and connection of the subjects treated in the seven books of the Divine Institutesoriginal: göttlichen Unterricht — refers to Institutiones Divinae, Lactantius's foundational work aimed at explaining Christian doctrine to educated pagans. reveal at first glance the most precise power of judgment one could wish for in a writer, as well as the most refined wisdom in his way of thinking; they guarantee the surest success of his intention, which was the conviction of his readers.

One hears every day that our philosophers—by which is meant the freethinkersoriginal: Freygeister — a term often used pejoratively by religious authors to describe Enlightenment skeptics and deists who rejected church authority., the unbelievers, and the enemies of religion—praise the present century as the fortunate Age of Reasonoriginal: Epoche der Kenntnisse und der Vernunft — literally, "the epoch of knowledge and reason," referring to the Enlightenment., and incessantly rail against the past centuries where, according to their claims, prejudice and ignorance sat upon the throne. They spare no effort to disparage those sages and expose them to contempt—the very sages who scattered the darkness of idolatryoriginal: Abgötterey — the worship of pagan gods, which the author views as a state of spiritual ignorance. and enlightened the world with true knowledge. They boldly and arbitrarily set themselves up as infalli-