Age of Reason

work by Paine

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June 22, 2026

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The Age of Reason is a work by Thomas Paine, published in two parts in 1794 and 1796. It is an exposition of the place of religion in society and an argument for Deism. Paine, a proponent of Deism, argued that a Supreme Being exists but that organized religion is a human construct. He believed that religious truths should be accessible through reason rather than divine revelation. The work advocates for a rational approach to understanding God and the universe, contrasting with traditional Christian doctrines. Paine's views in The Age of Reason led to him being widely regarded as an infidel, despite his assertion of belief in one God and the importance of doing justice and loving mercy.123

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Thomas Paine
In Europe: Rights of Man
…the first part of Paine’s Age of Reason was published (1794), and it was followed by Part II after his release (1796). Although Paine made it clear that he believed in a Supreme Being and, as a Deist, opposed only organized religion, the work won him a reputation as an…
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…the first part of Paine’s Age of Reason was published (1794), and it was followed by Part II after his release (1796). Although Paine made it clear that he believed in a Supreme Being and, as a Deist, opposed only organized religion, the work won him a reputation as an…
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The Founding Fathers, Deism, and Christianity
In his widely read The Age of Reason, Thomas Paine, the principal American exponent of Deism, called Christianity “a fable.” Paine, the protégé of Benjamin Franklin, denied “that the Almighty ever did communicate anything to man, by…speech,…language, or…vision.” Postulating a distant deity whom he called “Nature’s God” (a term…
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In his widely read The Age of Reason, Thomas Paine, the principal American exponent of Deism, called Christianity “a fable.” Paine, the protégé of Benjamin Franklin, denied “that the Almighty ever did communicate anything to man, by…speech,…language, or…vision.” Postulating a distant deity whom he called “Nature’s God” (a term…
Read More