Written in the Heart: Sentimental Deism in the Revolutionary Atlantic with Heath Rojas

While the traditional definition of deism emphasizes its rationality, recent research sheds light on the sentimental aspects of the faith tradition.

In his dissertation project, Heath Rojas, PhD candidate at Columbia University, uncovers the sentimentality of deism in revolutionary France and America. Using Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours as a touchstone, Rojas traces the development of natural religion, its place in the revolutionary program, and its application in private practices of devotion. Making extensive use of the P.S. du Pont papers in the Hagley Library, including multiple editions of du Pont’s own Philosophie de l'Univers (Philosophy of the Universe), Rojas recreates the mental and emotional world of sentimental deism.

In support of his work, Rojas received funding from the Center for the History of Business, Technology, and Society at the Hagley Museum and Library. For more information, and more Hagley History Hangouts, visit us online at hagley.org.

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