
An early‑nineteenth‑century essay launches a spirited debate about the relationship between faith and public power. Its author pushes back against the familiar claim that Catholicism belongs only to monarchies, arguing instead that religion can coexist with any form of government—from absolute crowns to fledgling republics. By invoking Montesquieu, biblical passages, and the fall of Rome, the work frames the discussion as both historical and urgently contemporary.
Written in a clear, polemical style, the pamphlet warns that both zealots and opportunists misuse religion to justify political whims, urging citizens to keep sacred belief out of partisan strife. It stresses that clergy who meddle in state affairs become false prophets, threatening both public order and spiritual integrity. Listeners will hear a fervent call for unity—seeing all peoples as one under divine grace—while questioning the notion that any government system is inherently at odds with true faith.
Language
pt
Duration
~20 minutes (19K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Mike Silva
Release date
2010-11-12
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1774–1834
A Portuguese writer and satirist from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, remembered for sharp, polemical verse and a lively place in the literary culture of his time.
View all books