BARUKH SPINOZA (1632-1677) was another descendant of Marranos who experienced difficulties with the organized Jewish community of Amsterdam. He must have studied with the leading rabbis of the city, Rabbi Manasse ben Israel and Rabbi Morteira and became deeply influenced by the teachings of Maimonides and Abraham Ibn Ezra. He also studied the philosophy of Rene Descartes. Spinoza became an original and creative philosopher, greatly admired by many. Before long, Spinoza engaged in various controversies with the leaders of the Amsterdam Jewish community and he was eventually excommunicated and declared persona non grata. Here is the text of the rabbinical sentence which was written by Saul Levy Morteira:

"The heads of the Council make known to you that fully aware of the erroneous opinions of Barukh Spinoza, they have endeavored to make him abandon his evil ways. Aware of the abominable heresies taught by him and having examined many testimonies, the Council decided with the advice of the rabbis, that the said Spinoza should be excommunicated and cut off from the Community of Israel?"

Spinoza wrote an apology in Spanish. It was lost but it may well have been the basis of the "Tractacus Theologico-Politicus" his work on Biblical criticism which was partly inspired by Abraham Ibn Ezra.

see also http://www.answers.com/Spinoza