Why did the lisbon earthquake present such an intellectual crisis for eighteenth-century thinkers? how did theologians explain the disaster within the framework of their beliefs? how did enlightenment thinkers explain it? in what direction was their thought on the physical world and its relationship to divine forces leading them?

The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 occurred on all saints day, it created major upheaval because religious officials and the mainly roman catholic population believed that god was punishing them for some sin. They had to reflect to see if they could determine what sin this could be. The enlightenment thinkers believed that it was a natural occurrence and focused instead on rebuilding Lisbon.