In the mid 1700’s Denis Diderot helped edit the Encyclopedia. This was meant to be a 28 volume book of all knowledge. The project was spearheaded by the leaders of the Enlightenment and was very political in in viewpoints. This included a complete denunciation of slavery. it also attempted to debunk religion as can be seen by one of it’s entries.  Eucharist: See Cannibalism

(The Great Courses – Living the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon)