On May 26, 2026, I wrote an essay, “Was Spinoza an Atheist?”, a review of Professor Nadler’s book Spinoza, Atheist.
I made several mistakes. I wrote that his book was dated 2023 when the correct date is 2026. I also said that Professor Nadler thought Spinoza was a pantheist and an atheist. I was wrong. Professor Nadler wrote that Spinoza was not a pantheist but was an atheist.
I agree with Professor Nadler that Spinoza was not a pantheist, but I like to think that he was not an atheist. I erased my May 26 essay and posted a new one explaining why I prefer to think he was not an atheist. I will similarly changed the review of Professor Nadler’s book that I placed on Amazon.
Thank you, Mr. Drazin, for this polite correction; I appreciate it. And I look forward to discussing Spinoza with you and, perhaps, one of us will convince the other.
You beat me to it. I was just about to write to you telling you that I changed the booksnthoughts and Amazon reviews that I wrote. It is good for people to get along nicely. This is the goal of the Torah.
Some scholars, including Nadler, argue that Spinoza’s conception of God does not align with traditional theistic beliefs and that his rejection of divine personality and providence leads to labeling him as an atheist—someone who denies a personal, transcendent deity. Nadler’s interpretation likely emphasizes the philosophical and theological nuances in Spinoza’s writings, suggesting that his conception of God is so radically different from classical religion that it warrants calling him an atheist.
It’s a nuanced debate within Spinoza scholarship, reflecting differing views on how to interpret his metaphysics and theology.
Thank for your comment Stephen.
It is OK that you made some mistakes. We all make mistakes and learn from them. I enjoyed your latest (updated) review of Prof. Nadler’s book on your site here.
Thanks, Turk. As usual, we agree.