Antichrist

===Age of Enlightenment===
Bernard McGinn noted that complete denial of the Antichrist was rare until the [[Age of Enlightenment]]. Following frequent use of "Antichrist" laden rhetoric during religious controversies in the 17th century, the use of the concept declined during the 18th century due to the rule of [[Enlightened absolutism|enlightened absolutists]], who as European rulers of the time wielded significant influence over official state churches. These efforts{{explain|date=June 2018|reason= why?}} to cleanse Christianity of "legendary" or "folk" accretions effectively removed the Antichrist from discussion in mainstream Western churches.{{sfn|Cabinet|2001}}