The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine is subtitled: Being an Investigation of the True and Fabulous Theology, which though often excluded when discussing the work, provides a snapshot of Paine's focus. Thomas Paine was a political activist in both England and America, active in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. He is known for following and promoting Deism. Deists believed that the Christian Church was corrupt, bent on seizing political power. Originally published in three parts, The Age of Reason became a bestseller in the United States. It wasn't as popular in England, however, because of fears following the French Revolution. The main title of the work stems from Paine's desire that his readers should replace revelation with reason. He didn't believe in miracles and thought of the Bible as nothing more than a literary work.Previously, Paine had written many works in praise of Deism, but they were only available to an elite group who had a certain level of education and wealth. Paine's style in The Age of Reason was more accessible to the public. Not only was the style more accessible but also the book itself was less expensive than many of his previous works on the topic.Historically, when part I of The Age of Reason was published, the French Revolution had caused a wave of disillusionment among the masses. The Reign of Terror was well under way, and Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette had already been executed. Britain and France were at war, and anyone in Britain still supporting the French Revolution was untrustworthy. Thomas Paine, because of works such as The Age of Reason, fell into that category. Paine's works led to his fleeing England to set sail for France; specifically, part II of Rights of Man led to this move after it was declared seditious. There, he wrote the first part of The Age of Reason in response to the secularism and atheism that had gripped the French Revolution. Despite the fact that the French inspired this work, Paine dedicated it to his "Fellow Citizens of the United States of America." France didn't prove a safe haven for him either; he was imprisoned there for ten months because the Jacobins thought him too moderate. He was nearly executed by guillotine but managed to escape that fate. After his release, and despite poor health, Paine began work on part II of The Age of Reason. Following the success of part II, Paine left France for the United States, where he wrote part III, titled The Age of Reason: An Examination of the Passages in the New Testament, Quotes from the Old and Called Prophecies Concerning Jesus Christ. Thomas Jefferson convinced him not to publish this third part in 1802, but Paine did so anyway five years later.Part I of The Age of Reason outlines Paine's own beliefs. He writes that he believes in one God and the equality of man. He believes that one's religious duties require justice, mercy, and making others happy. He goes on to say that he doesn't believe in the creeds professed by any church and that his mind is his church; all other churches that he knows of are devices created by man to enslave others while monopolizing power to turn a profit. He then attacks revelation. According to Paine, the fact that a revelation can only be confirmed by the one who experienced it is insufficient evidence for its truth and God's existence. Because he believes in a creator-God, Paine urges his readers to rely instead on reason and look to the natural world for evidence of God's existence.The Age of Reason continues to use the Bible's words against itself. Paine examines the book as a work of literature and nothing more, testing its consistency and finding it wanting. He also tests its historical accuracy and determines the book was not inspired by the divine. Paine turns his discussion toward religion and the state, highlighting the lust for power that grips institutions and its priests, pointing out the Church's oppression of scientific...