In this first translation of Sylvain Maréchal's Bible commentary, Sheila Delanyoffers an important document in the history of modern European secularizationand rationalist Bible criticism. Editor of one of France's best-known radicaljournals, Révolutions de Paris, and author in many genres-drama, poetry, journalism, treatise-Maréchal (1750-1803) embraced the revolutionaryegalitarian ideas of François-Noël "Gracchus" Babeuf. As an atheist, hewitnessed with dismay the advent of Napoleon and the post-revolutionaryreturn of Catholic fervor. For and Against the Bible was his protest, his reminderof what the nation had endured and of what, at the opening of the nineteenthcentury, it might still accomplish. Delany's introduction and annotated Englishtranslation will be of importance to all interested in Jewish or Christian Biblestudies, history of Bible criticism, eighteenth century European rationalism, French atheism, modern European secularism.