The 18th century saw a strong reaction against the whole notion of the fall, against original

sin, against Augustinian theology, against Luther and Calvin and the rest. With this movement in the

rest with this movement called the Enlightenment.

We live in this movement called the Enlightenment.

We live in what many call a post-Christian world. The influence of the Reformation in the 16th century, by God's grace, was vast. So how do we get to this point in history?

That some of what we'll consider on Saturdays over the coming weeks on renewing her mind

as R.C. Sprawl introduces us to the rise and aftermath of the Enlightenment.

Ideas have consequences. How we think truly matters.

That's why Paul tells us that we must have our minds renewed.

And one of the reasons Dr Sproll taught philosophy,

helping us see the ideas that have shaped the world in which we live. You can take a study in

philosophy with R.C. Sproll when you request his 35 message overview

the consequences of ideas at renewing your mind dot org.

Well here's R.C. sprawl on the rise of the Enlightenment.

If we would have the occasion to visit Western Europe at this time in history and go on the

tours that feature visits to the great cathedrals and the churches of Western Europe,

we soon discover that many of them have become museums and what some cynics refer to as the mausoleums for the death of God and of Christianity.

The last figure I saw was that roughly 2% of people in Western Europe are regular in attending church and that the culture in the main has been secularized.

And historians look back to the 18th century and see in the 18th century some pivotal events that took place then

that have led to the demise of the church in the life of people in the Western world.

We've seen already that the 18th century can be called the age of empiricism because of what was going on in Great Britain with respect to the questions of epistemology that were

dealt with with people like Lock and Barclay and Hume.

...