On the Moderation of Reason in Religious Matters

Lodovico Antonio Muratori (1672 –1750) was an Italian Catholic priest, notable as historian and a leading scholar of his age, and for his discovery of the Muratorian fragment, the earliest known list of New Testament books. No other book inspired Catholics of the 18th century more than Muratori's On the Moderation of Reason in Religious Matters. Ever since its publication in 1714, it had virtually a magisterial status by those who sought to revitalize the intellectual verve of Catholic theology. In essay form, Muratori addressed the fundamental challenges of doubt, authority, blind faith, the Copernican worldview, and the limitations of human reason. This work is a must-read for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the intersection between religion and reason.