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Which philosophers influenced George Eliot after she lost her Christian faith?
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George Eliot
George Eliot, engraving derived from a chalk drawing (1865) by Sir Frederic William Burton.
After George Eliot (born Mary Ann Evans) abandoned her Christian faith, she was influenced by several thinkers and associates who introduced her to radical ideas and rationalist philosophy.
Key figures and influences included:
- Charles Hennell: His book, An Inquiry Concerning the Origin of Christianity (1838), was instrumental in precipitating her break with religious orthodoxy.1
- David Friedrich Strauss: Eliot translated his work Das Leben Jesu kritisch bearbeitet (published in English as The Life of Jesus Critically Examined), which had a profound impact on English rationalism.1
- R.H. Brabant: During her visits to Devizes, she engaged in deep discussions regarding theology and the removal of supernatural elements from religion.1
- Herbert Spencer: A prominent Victorian thinker, Spencer became a close acquaintance around 1850. Their philosophical conversations were significant, and he introduced her to his circle, which included other influential figures such as John Stuart Mill and George Henry Lewes.2
These associations helped move her away from her earlier evangelical piety toward a more secular and intellectual worldview.1