Deism and the Religious Progress: John Toland and Anthony Collins

This paper examines the ideas of religious progress expressed by English deists, particularly John Toland and Anthony Collins. Unlike Anglican theologians who believed that the biblical revelation should be the basis of the religious progress, deists argued that reason should lead the way for religion. For deists, the bible itself could not be a proper guide for religious progress, because many biblical verses were open to different interpretations. Deists argued that individuals should interpret the bible with their own rational ability. Consistent with this, they maintained that not just priests but every rational individual could and should contribute to the religious progress. For deists, true religion lay in virtue, not in words or rituals. They emphasised the virtues of charity and toleration as a way to the truly religious world.