Which French Enlightenment writer championed religious tolerance and attacked clerical authority?

Fact

Did you know?

Voltaire, with his sharp wit and prolific writing, was one of the greatest champions of the Enlightenment. He used his pen to criticize absolute monarchy, religious intolerance, and social injustice, promoting instead the values of freedom of speech and the separation of church and state. His commitment to justice is illustrated by his intervention in the Calas affair, where he succeeded in rehabilitating the memory of a man executed on the basis of religiously motivated accusations. Voltaire remains a powerful symbol of the fight against oppression and for human rights.