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Louis XIV the Sun King
Building on the concept of ‘divine rule’ and the ‘divinity of monarchy’, this portrait of Louis XIV (King of France 1643-1715) depicted as the ‘Sun King’ is an example of the bridge between religion and the absolutist monarchies of the time. -
A Letter Concerning Toleration
John Locke, a 17th century English philosopher, was one of the central figures of the Enlightenment movement. In A Letter Concerning Toleration (1689) his views on education and religious tolerance caused much debate as to the importance and identity of the individual, and subsequently the role of religion in people’s lives. -
Elements of the Philosophy of Right
In Elements of the Philosophy of Right (1820) Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel wrote of the means of perception individuals apply in order to appreciate the world around them. Building on theories of Immanuel Kant and others, Hegel’s writings discussed the role of religion in the shaping of the human consciousness. -
On the Origins of Species
Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection was published in 1859, and in many ways represented the climax of a train of scientific inquiry that had begun more than a century previously. Summarizing multiple scientific theories, its primary focus was they theory of natural selection. The book was – and continues to be - heavily contested, and was seen by many as an affront to religion. -
Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII (Pope from 1939-1958) reigned as head of the Catholic Church during the period of the Second World War, a conflict wherein the actions of the Vatican have been criticized and disputed. -
Concordat of 1953
The Concordat of 1953 was the final classic concordat issued by the Roman Catholic Church, between Francisco Franco (leader of Spain from 1936-1975) and the Vatican Church. The concordat gave the Church many benefits including government tax exemption.
