A History of Atheism in Britain From Hobbes to Russell [Paperback]

Probably no doctrine has excited as much horror and abuse as atheism. This first history of British atheism, first published in 1987, tries to explain this reaction while exhibiting the development of atheism from Hobbes to Russell. Although avowed atheism appeared surprisingly late  1782 in Britain  there were covert atheists in the middle seventeenth century. By tracing its development from so early a date, Dr Berman gives an account of an important and fascinating strand of intellectual history.

Preface  1. The Repression of Atheism  2. Restoration Atheists: Foundling Followers of Hobbes  3. Anthony Collins' Atheology  4. The Suppression of Atheism  5. The Birth of Avowed Atheism: 1782-1797  6. Shelleys Deicide  7. The Struggle of Theoretical Atheism over Practical Atheism  8. The Causes of Atheism  9. The Atheists: 1822-1842  10. Militant and Academic Atheism  Epilogue: The Ethics of Unbelief

Reviews of the original edition:

Bermans careful survey will be a useful reminder of the relative youth of open disbelief in religion. TLS

a fascinating glimpse into the minds of many people struggling with the God problem&meticulous documentation&a real and significant contribution to the history of British atheism in its formative stages.American Rationalist