Protestantism and modernity. Religious subjectivism and political subjectivism in Balmes, de Maistre and Taparelli’s analysis

Abstract:

This article analyzes how Modernity
and Protestantism relate to each other in
Balmes, de Maistre and Taparelli’s work.
According to Balmes, the negation of truth
that Protestantism’s religious subjectivity
implies is the basis of modern atheism and
liberalism. To de Maistre, modern individualism
cannot be understood without
the negation of the authority made by Protestantism
and, according to Taparelli,
Protestantism’s subjectivity allowed the
liberalization of the juridical and political
order. All this has led to the sovereignty of
the individual, which reduces man to his
own power possibilities and dehumanize
him.

Key words:

Protestantism, Modernity, subjectivism, individualism