Machiavelli: An Obstinate Enemy Of Christianity

Among Machiavelli scholars, there are debates concerning almost all the aspects of Machiavelli's thought, and his attitude toward religion, especially Christianity, is one of the most confusing topics in regard to his thought. There are four main standpoints on his thought of Christianity: (1) Machiavelli as an anti-Christ; (2) his teaching in consistence with Christian doctrines; (3) his attitude toward Christianity is practical; and (4) Machiavelli, as a pluralist, does not care whether Christian doctrines are true or false. In this present study, I am going to argue and provide new evidence for the first and oldest standpoint, and try to settle the long-time debate on this question.According to the explicit and implicit hinds left by Machiavelli himself, it is not difficult to consider Machiavelli as a master of the"art of writing,"and accordingly we could distinguish his teaching into two levels: exoteric teaching and esoteric teaching. In his exoteric teaching, Machiavelli shows his reverence to Christianity, or at most attacks the exterior influence of Christianity to his time and contemporaries; whereas in his esoteric teaching, Machiavelli not only blasphemes popes, Roman Church, and God itself, but also reduces the claimed divine origin of Christianity into pure human deceit. Through careful observation and analysis of Machiavelli's two central texts—The Prince and Discourses, through disclosing his esoteric teaching hidden under his prudence and continence, and through relating his thought of Christianity with other aspects of his thought, I come to the conclusion that Machiavelli is a crafty and obstinate enemy of Christianity. Furthermore, on the ground of this conclusion, I shall defend for the contention that it is Machiavelli who opened a new epoch in the history of political philosophy.