"[T]he truth of our time." — David Friedrich Strauss
The Essence of Christianity is the most significant critique of the Christian religion published in the nineteenth century. The work made Feuerbach a major public figure, admired by some, unpopular with others, but neglected by few. The impact of the book was enormous; it exposed with systematic order, passionate style, and often radical illustrations the weaknesses of contemporary religious thought and philosophy. It upset the entire dominant German philosophical tradition and assumed the lead in the historical critique of religious thought.