Christianity On Trial COT-Classics Episode # 119 Reformation Tour 1996 Tape # 15 "The Enlightenment's Connection With Anti-Semitism"
May 8, 2025
This discussion dives deep into the Enlightenment's troubling ties to anti-Semitism, questioning the balance between human progress and suffering. It reflects on a former concentration camp, revealing the dark paradoxes of history versus Enlightenment ideals. The contrasting views of Benjamin Franklin and evangelist George Whitefield on morality and faith add nuance to the conversation. It also sheds light on the grim realities of death camps and the inhumane deception behind mass executions, challenging listeners to confront uncomfortable truths.
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Enlightenment's Anti-Semitism Often Ignored
- The Enlightenment was highly racist and anti-Semitic, viewing Jews as inferior for accepting miracles.
- This anti-Semitism in the Enlightenment is rarely discussed compared to the focus on Luther's supposed anti-Semitism.
Powerful Christian Case in Secular Academia
- John Warwick Montgomery found the case for Christianity intellectually strong even among secular scholars.
- His relaxed but evidence-based approach gained him popularity in an otherwise hostile secular university environment.
Benjamin Franklin's Controversial Legacy
- Benjamin Franklin corresponded with revivalist Whitefield but never accepted Christ as Savior.
- Franklin's writings included essays on seducing older women and other controversial, little-known topics.
