The Enlightenment was a direct challenge to the status quo when intolerant and superstitious religious beliefs dominated most lives. Christians agreed that Christianity was a revealed religion. Christ had sacrificed himself to secure salvation. The masses learned of salvation through the medium of The Bible, the literal Word of God. John Locke advocated a study of the Bible alone in the optimistic hope that everyone would agree on its literal interpretation.

"Other Enlightenment scholars looked to diminish the power of organized religion by examining it from a historical perspective." p.15

They found that there were many ways to understand the meaning of grace and salvation. Spinoza asserted that the Bible was a document of sacred history for Jews and Christians.

"Natural law is essentially a code of behavior passed down from God and applicable to all humans, which upholds the natural order of things." p.18

The Enlightenment was profoundly anti-religious.