The Dominion. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1913. FOUNDATIONS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1663, 1 February 1913, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1913. FOUNDATIONS.

Recent English papers contain reviews of a remarkablo book i which has just been' produced by seven Oxford scholars, entitled Foundations: A Statement of Christian Belief in Terms of Modern Thought. In another column we publish an interesting sketch of its contents, from which it will be seen that some of the essays are likely to cause a good deal of controversy, and may give rise to some uneasiness in conservative circles. However, tho expression pf advanced views in theology and Biblical criticism has become sufficiently familiar'in these days to prevent tho recurrence of such' an outburst of alarm and protest as greeted tho appearance. of the _oncc famous ■Essays :, and Reviews in I860; On that occasion tho main attack was directed at the Rev. Frederick '■lemple; who subsequently, became Archbishop of Canterbury. His own contribution to tho book was not particularly startling, but he was practically made responsible for all the "shocking" things to which his associated gave expression, and his connection with tho book was subsequently made tho ground of a strong' /but unsuccessful protest against'his .appointment .to the Bishopric of Exeter.' Another memorable attempt at , theological reconstruction was made in 1890! by a band of Liberal High Churchmen at Oxford. It took tho form of a series of essays entitled Lux Mundi. The intention of! the' writers was to meet the doubts and difficulties raised! by (the new Biblicjil criticism, and the revolution in thought caused by evolutionary science and philosophy. The book caused a great sensation, and had an enormous sale. This time hostile criticism centred upon the opening essay entitled The Iloly Spirit and Inspiration, written by Dr.- Charles Gore, who had already made his mark at the University. He is now Bishop of Oxford, and one. of the greatest forces in the Anglican Church, both from the intellectual point of view and as a social reformer. • Dr. Gore's views, which 'wero' then regarded as dangerously advanced, alienated many of his best friends, including Canon Liddon, and Father Ignatius (a wellknown Anglican monk) went so far as to denounce him as "infidel Gore!." Theological thought has moved; a long way since those days, and the opinions of the Lux Mundi essayista are now regarded as quite conservative.

The latest Oxford "Statement of Christian Belief in Termß of Modern' Thought" is not likely to give rise to Buch intense feeling as that which greetedEssayqpnd Reviews and Lux Mundi; and this is largely due to the fact thatj owing to the great work in reconstruction of religious thought done by English theologians in rccenfc years, , the average Churchman is no longer afraid of the higher: criticism or the theory of evolution. He has been assured Dy the witness of many splendid personal examples that a man may bp both a higher critic ,and a thorough evolutionist, and _at the sarna t-imo a sincere Christian. Howover,\as we have already said, there aro some statements in . Foundations which can hardly fail to cause considerable uneasiness, and may probably give rise to vigorous protests. Tliis applies mainly ;to Mb. Stkeeter's essay on The Historic Christ, which in view of tho vital importance of the subject, and of the fact that it comes from tho pen of one of the most brilliant of the younger generation of British critics, is sure to receive very serious attention. He deals in a mastqrly and courageous way with the most difficult modern problems connectod with tho ' Gospel story. With roferenoo to the Fourth Gospel he > speaks with great caution, but ho evidently doubts its historicity. Ho writes:— " . >

On tho whole I myself feel that the mystical and theological interest of its author dominates, if it does not swallow up, tho biographical. In'his mind, after' pars and years of pondoring and teaching, the facts and their interpretation have become inextricably blended, . - and his Gospel should primarily be regarded not So much as an historical authority as an inspired meditation on tho lifo of Christ. But in to characterising it, I would underline tho word "inspired" as woll as tho word "meditation." A theological and philosophical interpretation of tho meaning for mankind M the person and' Work of Christ need not be a falso or illegitimate interpretation.

As regards tho Resurrection ho sees difficulties both in tho traditional view—though ha thinks the story of tho empty tomb rests on adequate historical evidence—and in tho "subjective vision" theory. His own opinion is expressed as follows:—

Only if tho possibility of personal immortality bo dogmatically denied can there bo nny Teal difficulty in supposing that the Master would have been ablo to convince His disciples of Ilis victory ovor death by some adequate manifestation— possibly by showing Himself to them in some form such os might bo eovored by St. Paul's phrase, "a spiritual body"; possibly through somo psychological channol similar to that which explains the myslerwis means , of communication I*twceit persons commonly known ns telepathy; or possibly iu some wov of which at present we have no concoption. Oa

such a view, tho appcaranoo to tho disciples can only bo styled "visions," if wo mean by vision something caused by tho .Lord Himself veritably alivo ana personally' in communion with thorn. It is, of course, quite impossible within the limits of a newspaper articlo to give any adequate idea of the contents of fciie other articles, but all of them aro reverent and courageous, and show that the writors aro fully abreast of the best modem thought on the questions dealt with. This applies especially to the contribution of Mr. Temple (a son of the late Archbishop of Canterbury), who has already won a name for himself as a brilliant and fearless thinker; and that of Mn. Moberly, who writes from the philosophical point of view. Mr. Moberly belongs to tho modern idealist school, and thinks that Behgson and William James are on a by-path. P9ssibly ho is right, but many who are in a position to speak'with authority take a much higher view of the permanent value of Bergson's philosophy. Some people, both among tho friends arid foes of Ohristianity, may regard such books as Essays and Reviews, Lux Miindi, and Foundations as signs of dccay and dissolution; but surely it is more reasonable to look upon growth, development, and adjustment to environment as healthy indications of renewed and fruitful life. In justification of this principle of development and reconstruction excellent precedents aro provided by the author of the Fourth Gospel, the Alexandrine Fathors, St. Augustine, the great schoolmen, the Information theologians (Catholic and Protestant), Berkley, Butler, , Paley, and many others, who' did for their day and generation what tho authors of Foundations and other theolofians are doing for our own age. Rom the Fourth Gospel Dr. E. F. Scott, of Canada, draws the lesson that Christianity is the absolute, because it is the living and ever growing religion, possessing within itself an endless power of development to new conditions and needs._ SerioUsmindedl people are asking to-day whether this power is capable of grappling effectively with tho extraordinary crisis through, which the world is passing] at the present time; We are living ,in an _ unexampled period of transformation. As one of tho latest Oxford essayists states: "Europe and America seethe with' social movement; India, toils in tho birth-pangs of an unknown future; Japan has leapt to the van of. civilisation; China is awake from agelong sleep and plunging into new lifo.. Even tho Dark (Continent is astir as Mohammedanism surges across it. Now is the opportunity and the test of faith; and even now in the vision of faith tho Captain of the armies of .Salvation goes forth conquering and to; conquer." .