Author Bio: Edward Gibbon (1737 CE - 1794 CE) - a prime model of the Enlightenment era; known for a story telling style; one of the founding fathers of history as a profession. After discovering Catholicism, his father forcing him back to study Calvinism, and a reluctant return to the Protestant faith, Gibbon held a strong distaste for religion.
Speaker: Edward Gibbon, above
Date/Context: It was written during Enlightenment Period, a time in which people began to emphasize reason and better understand the scientific way of how things worked. The first volume appeared in 1776 and the last in 1787. The book came to be rather controversial, as it was disputing religion, which had rarely been done so pointedly before.
Summary: Gibbon’s main argument is that Christianity played a major part in the fall of the Roman Empire. Part of his reasoning was the fact that the church preached its doctrines far too much, and all military sprit was gone. Also, the wealth went to charity instead of taxes or an army, and the state became distracted with arguments on religion rather than focusing on defending and growing its empire. However, religion impacted the Romans in beneficial ways as well. Christianity taught many to obey a lawful emperor, and the Bible helped many soldiers keep faith with their leaders and not fear death.
Key Quotation: “… the church, and even the state, were distracted by religious factions… the attention of the emperors was diverted from camps to [church] synods…”
“If the decline of the Roman empire was hastened by the conversion of [the Emperor] Constantine, his victorious religion broke the violence of the fall, and mollified the ferocious temper of the conquerors.”
Well done! You did an excellent job explaining both the period under consideration and the manner in which the Enlightenment informed Gibbon's perspective on history.
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