The Essay - Enlightenment Voices - Spinoza - Part 4

Series focusing on the work of 17th-century Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza. Prof Susan James from Birkbeck College, University of London, examines the reaction to Spinoza's defence of religious pluralism in his Theological Political Treatise. Raised in Amsterdam as a Sephardic Jew, Spinoza was immersed in what might nowadays be called a multi-faith community, and in the work he explores the relationship between religion, politics and philosophy. Despite the relative tolerance of Amsterdam at the time, Spinoza's treatise caused great outcry. Reader: Bruce Alexander.