Dictionnaire Historique et Critique

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The Dictionnaire Historique et Critique (or Historical and Critical Dictionary in English) was a biographical dictionary written by Pierre Bayle (1647-1706), a Huguenot who lived and published in Holland after fleeing his native France due to religious persecution. The dictionary was first published in 1697, and enlarged in the second edition of 1702. An English translation was first published in 1709.^[1] The contents were almost all people (historical and mythical), but some articles treat religious beliefs and philosophies. Many of the more dangerous ideas in the book were hidden away in the voluminous footnotes, or slipped into articles on seemingly uncontroversial topics.

The rigorous and sceptical approach used in the Dictionary was an influence on important eighteenth-century figures such as Denis Diderot and the French Encyclopédistes, David Hume, and George Berkeley. Bayle delighted in pointing out contradictions between theological tenets and the self-evident dictates of reason. Bayle used the evidence of the irrationality of Christianity to emphasize that the basis of Christianity is Faith in God and divine revelation. But at the same time Bayle sought to promote religious tolerance, and argued strongly against inflexible and authoritarian application of religious articles of faith.^[2]^[3] This led to a bitter argument with his fellow French Protestant Pierre Jurieu.