THE 18TH CENTURY IDEA OF NATURAL RELIGION AND ITS CONTEMPORARY FORMS

Abstract

The natural religion was of great importance and popular with thinkers, philosophers and writers in the 18th century. According to the message of this idea a religion was treated in moral terms and it was believed that there are moral rules common among all people, and God is a Moral Lawgiver or a symbol of sanctity of these rules. In spite of the fact that the notion of natural religion does not exist today its forms can still be found in European awareness. But as the most important heritage of the 18th century idea of natural religion can be regarded nowadays our Western belief in human rights and their universality. In our value system these rights are supreme and „sacred”. It can be said that they are our new religion modeled on the natural religion and as its continuity.