Bayle’s Reception of Greco-Roman Religion and Culture

This chapter examines two main areas of Bayle’s reception of Greco-Roman religion and culture. (1) classical scholars as models of virtue, despite their pagan religion. (2) the use of classical religion to engage controversial points of Christian dogma. These two areas of reception connect in Bayle’s writing in how moral exemplars can be found amongst the Ancients that force comparison with contemporary ecclesial claims of moral superiority. The chapter consists of a survey of articles from the Dictionary which engage Greco-Roman religion. The articles for this study coalesce around several common themes: the problem of providence, scandalous behaviour, false gods, and pagan virtue. The use of Greco-Roman religion as a lens to critique contemporary religious practice and belief is demonstrated. The question of virtue is central to those articles dealing with persons and religion of Greco-Roman culture. The relation to the contemporary church made explicit at times with Bayle drawing comparisons both positive (‘our God is not like that’) and negative (‘Christians today behave similarly’). The comparative moves force the reader to keep these comparisons in play even when they are not made explicit. Virtue is inseparable from larger Baylean concerns around the nature of divinity and human behaviour, towards each other and towards the divine. The Greco-Roman articles allow Bayle to question contemporary religious ethics while maintaining a degree of separation. We see Bayle use Greco-Roman mythology as a commentary upon the dominant religion of his day.