神学政治论 (1670)

《神学政治论》是17世纪荷兰哲学家斯宾诺莎主要著作之一。在书中，斯宾诺莎以理性主义和历史批判的视角审视和批判了传统的《圣经》诠释方法，在历史上第一次提出研究《圣经》的作者是谁，他们是在什么条件下写的，以及为何而作等等。书中还提倡天赋人权学说，社会契约说，信仰自由和言论自由等。

The Tractatus Theologico-Politicus (TTP) or Theologico-Political Treatise, is a 1670 work of philosophy written in Latin by the Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza (1632–1677) and published anonymously. The book was one of the most important and controversial texts of the early modern period. Its aim was "to liberate the individual from bondage to superstition and ecclesiastical authority." In it, Spinoza expounds his views on contemporary Jewish and Western Christianity and critically analyses the Bible, especially the Hebrew Bible.

The work has been characterized as "one of the most significant events in European intellectual history", laying the groundwork for ideas about liberalism, secularism, and democracy. He argues what the best roles for state and religion should be and concludes that a degree of democracy and freedom of speech and religion works best, such as in Amsterdam, while the state remains paramount within reason. The goal of the state is to guarantee the freedom of citizens. Religious leaders should not interfere in politics.

Spinoza interrupted his writing of his magnum opus, the Ethics, to respond to the increasing intolerance in the Dutch Republic, directly challenging religious authorities and their power over freedom of thought. He published the work anonymously in Latin, rightly anticipating harsh criticism and vigorous attempts by religious leaders and conservative secular authorities to suppress his work entirely, he halted the publication of a Dutch translation. One anonymous critic described it as being "Forged in hell by the apostate Jew working together with the devil".

Historical context

The vaunted religious tolerance of the Dutch Republic was under strain in the mid-seventeenth century. War with England over trade and imperial dominance affected the Northern Netherlands' prosperity.

The conservative leaders of the Dutch Reformed Church put pressure on civil authorities to curtail freedom of expression and the circulation of ideas to which they objected. In the political sphere conservatives sought to restore the position of stadtholder, or head of state, with a member of the House of Orange. During the First Stadtholderless Period (1650–1672) Johan de Witt functioned as head of state and was in favor of policies of religious toleration, which had helped fuel prosperity. Jews could practice their religion openly and were an integral part of the commercial sector.

There were also a great number of Christian sects that contributed to the religious and intellectual ferment of the Republic. Some dissenters began openly challenging religious authorities and religion itself, as Spinoza had done, leading to his expulsion from the Jewish community in Amsterdam in 1656.

A like-minded friend and kindred intellectual spirit, Adriaan Koerbagh (1633–1669), had published two works scathing of religion. Because they were published in Dutch rather than Latin, and therefore accessible to a much wider readership, he quickly came to the attention of religious authorities and was arrested and thrown into prison, where he quickly died. His death was a hard blow for Spinoza, whose reaction was to commence writing in 1665 what became the TTP.

Heeding the danger of writing in Dutch, Spinoza's treatise is in Latin. Unlike the dense text of the Ethics, the TTP is much more accessible and deals with religion and politics rather than metaphysics. Scholars have suggested that the text of the TTP incorporates the apologia ("defense") he had written in Spanish after his expulsion in 1656.