First Sentence

"Before the word "polytheism" (invented by Philo of Alexandria) was rediscovered by Jean Bodin in 1580, the term used was "idolatry" The starting point of all questions pertaining to idolatry - and principally the problem of its origins - was the biblical text During the sixteenth century and up until G J Vossius, the origin of idolatry was, first and foremost, a problem of scriptural exegesis The English deists treated this problem in a new light relegating biblical evidence to a position of secondary importance, they anchored the debate in the realm of the comparative history of religions."