Antichrist

Book excerpt: "In truth there was only one Christian, and he died on the cross," declares Friedrich Nietzsche in this famous attack on Christianity and organized religion. A deep exploration and repudiation of Christian symbolism and morality, The Antichrist was the last of Nietzsche's works save for his autobiography, Ecco Homo. As such, it may be regarded as a final statement of some of his most important ideas. This polemic is also one of the philosopher's most conventionally formatted books, consisting of a connected argument with few digressions and a clearly defined beginning, middle, and end. Indeed, it ranks among philosophy's most accessible and easily understood works, consisting of 62 brief chapters. Each chapter features an aphorism that advances the author's arguments against Christian tenets. Fast-paced, concise, and brimming with conviction, Nietzsche's landmark work is essential to a grasp of his complete oeuvre.