[6] Though Spinoza’s ideas are lucidly expressed, the real subject of New Jerusalem may be the “problematic place of revealed religion in a secular society”, according to one critic.
[7] At the start of the play it is revealed that Spinoza has been spied on by an agent of the Calvinist leaders of Amsterdam, who fear the spread of atheism may be a threat.
[3] Peter Marks has said, "One of the fascinating facets of Ives's play is the degree to which the gears of the gentle Spinoza's probing intellect, and his effort to understand the nature of the universe in ways not explained in Scripture, seem to his adversaries to be instruments of chaos and terror.
It was directed by Walter Bobbie, with sets by John Lee Beatty costumes by Anita Yavich, and lighting by Ken Billington, with a cast that included Richard Easton, Jeremy Strong, Fyvush Finkel, David Garrison, Jenn Harris, Michael Izquierdo and Natalia Payne.
[12] and recorded as an audio book with a cast that includes Edward Asner, Richard Easton, Andrea Gabriel, Arye Gross, Amy Pietz, James Wagner, Matthew Wolf.