Even if Franklin struck you as refreshingly secular, The Age of Reason may come as a bit of a shock. Paine sets out to demolish revealed religion, particularly Christianity. As you read, consider what seems to motivate this attack, and how Paine’s concerns shape his argument. What strategies does he use? What are the main issues that he discusses? How does he expect his reader to respond to his argument?

As you read Paine, consider the rhetoric within which he couches his attack on revealed religion. Does he position himself as a radical, or does he portray himself as a defender of order? Be prepared to back up your answer with specific examples from the text.

Consider as well what Paine means by his title. How similar is his view of reason to Franklin’s? (You might also compare Edwards’s understanding of reason.) Compare Paine’s approach to deism with Franklin’s discussion of deism in his Autobiography. How similar are their views of faith and revelation? (Note that in the full text of The Age of Reason, Paine holds Franklin up as a heroic and prophetic figure.)

Paine’s most famous piece of writing is Common Sense (January 1776), in which Paine advocates American independence. Though The Age of Reason focuses on religion rather than on politics, Paine represents religion and politics as inextricably intertwined. How does Paine treat the relationship between them? What political role does he suggest for The Age of Reason?

Consider especially Paine’s views of the French Revolution. As you may know, the early events of the French Revolution were greeted with enthusiasm by many Americans, especially Jeffersonians, who saw in them the spread of American ideas and ideals. But the arrest of the fleeing French monarch in 1791 raised doubts in the minds of American conservatives. The events of 1792--including a French declaration of war on Austria, the Jacobin seizure of the royal palace, suspension of Louis XVI as king, the formation of the National Convention, and the First Terror--alarmed more Americans. For many, including George Washington, lingering faith in the French Revolution was extinguished in 1793, with the trial and execution of the king and queen, the tyranny of the Parisian mob, and the Reign of Terror.

Many Americans perceived this not only as a disaster for France, but also as a warning to the United States as well. They worried that these events might mean that republican government was not in fact viable. If republics depend for their stability on the virtue and restraint of the people, anarchy might result when people lacked self-control. So perhaps, they feared, the frightening events taking place in France were a foretaste of disasters that would hit America. Indeed, America was experiencing some instability of its own. (We'll talk about these issues more at the end of the term.) How are these issues and concerns reflected in The Age of Reason?