In 1730, a Christian deist named Matthew Tindal wrote a book entitled Christianity as Old as the Creation: or, the Gospel, a Republication of the Religion of Nature. As implied in this title, Tindal takes the position that the essential truths in Christianity have always been known by all human beings since the creation of the world. According to Tindal, any claim to receiving an exclusive "revelation" of truth by anyone, or the church, must be tested by human reason. Any such "revealed" truth that cannot be verified through human reason is either invalid or non-essential in Christianity.
Tindal finds that several church doctrines fail to pass the test of human reason, but Tindal explains that the essential truths in Christianity are known naturally and universally. Tindal explains that whatever "honors God and is good for mankind" is in accord with God's will and should guide human behavior. This, of course, is Tindal’s paraphrase of what Jesus described as love for God and love for "neighbor," which Christian deists believe is the essence of Christianity.
The term Christian Deist was used in 1730 by Matthew Tindal in his book Christianity as Old as the Creation.
Some have asked the question, "Can a Deist be a Christian?" The reason for this question is that some persons equate "Christianity" with "trinitarianism." Trinitarian Christians believe in the doctrines of original sin, the divinity of Jesus, substitutionary atonement through the death of Jesus, supernatural revelation of truth, and miracles to prove the authority of Jesus. Deists reject these trinitarian views. Even Thomas Paine, a deist, made the mistake of equating "Christianity" with "trinitarianism," so when Paine contrasted "Deism" with what he called "Christianity," he was really criticizing "trinitarian" doctrines.
"Deism" is a religious perspective based on the premises that all human beings at all times have known that a Creator, called "God," exists and that all human beings have known how God intends for people to live. This knowledge comes from "nature" and human "reason." "Nature" includes both human nature and the natural world around us. Human "reason" refers to our individual ability to observe and think logically about ourselves and our relationships with each other and our Creator. Deists believe that as a person lives in harmony with the design of human nature, the individual is living in obedience to the will of God which is the basis for all happiness in this life and beyond.
On the other hand, trinitarian Christians claim that "Christianity" is a religion based on "revelations" of "truths" not known to all persons but supernaturally revealed by Jesus to a man named Paul of Tarsus, and later modified and adopted by church councils and church leaders such as the Catholic pope. Those who view "Christianity" as based on "revelations" known only in trinitarian churches claim that this version of "Christianity" is the sole source of "salvation" from sin and its alleged penalty, everlasting torture in a place called "hell." Of course, Christian deists reject this idea because it is an insult to the goodness of God.
Matthew Tindal's book, Christianity as Old as the Creation, answers the question, "Can a deist be a Christian?" and refutes the trinitarian claim to an exclusive knowledge of God's truth.
Matthew Tindal (1650? -1733) was educated as a lawyer at Exeter College, Oxford University. He earned three degrees and taught at All Soul's College, Oxford, from 1678 until his death in 1733. He was also an advisor to the English government on international law. Tindal was a Christian deist, a member of the Anglican church, and a prolific writer. In his book, Christianity as Old as the Creation, Tindal set forth the basic views of Christian deism in 391 pages. The book is written in English but reflects Tindal's broad education from his frequent quotations in Latin and Greek from ancient philosophers and "church fathers."
Tindal takes the position that the basic teachings of Jesus are validated by human reason, but church leaders have added many doctrines and practices that are either contradictory to the teachings of Jesus or are non-essential in Christianity.
Reprints of Tindal's book are available but are rather scarce, so the book is not widely read by the public today.
The book, Christianity as Old as the Creation, consists of fourteen chapters. Each of the first thirteen chapters presents a proposition in Deism which Tindal supports by the content of the chapter. In the fourteenth chapter of the book, Tindal refutes a publication by a "Dr. S. Clark" who wrote that, while there is value in natural religion (deism), the special "revelation" of truth possessed exclusively by the Christian church is distinct from, and superior to, natural religion.