RELIGIOUS STUDY

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1930, Page 3

RELIGIOUS STUDY

A UNIVERSITY SUBJECT,

RELATION TO EDUCATION

AUCKLAND, Aug. 25

“There has never been more interest in religion tlum. at the prinuu day; but it'is hot so much in organised religion, it is an interest that seeks to find the nature and function of religion in human life,” said Professor S. AnguH, Professor of the Ne" ! Testament at St. Andrew’s Co .lege, Sydney University, whp.is a througii passenger by the Aorangi. He is going to Cblumbia University, New York, »is a visiting professor, aim will temporarily take the chair of History of Religion. ■ Professor Angus has written religious books, tlie chief of which are “The Religious Questions of the , Graeco-Roman World,” which is widely used in the United States; “Mystery-Religions and Christianity,” a.ud. “The Environment of Early Christianity.” “Religion has no; place in the New Zealand or Australian Universities. It is, banned,” said Professor Angus. “In America religion and religious;, subjects are studies, just as are history or chemistry.7,■Many'' students taking lip the subjects fpr their Master’s or Doctor’s degrees at Cblumbia. University, for instance, .take religion as one of the subject*) |to quality for the PUSS.” ;;j , , . 1

In Professor Angus’s opinion denominational ism is carried to excess in Australia and New Zealand. He said religion had been identified vvith denominationalism, .which was pnly . a phenomenon of religion; Religion did not exist for denominationalism. Religion was as necessary in higher education as art or philosophy. “Where wo Id education 'be without art?” lie paid. “Education without religion is a loss. Denominationalism ' is no friend to religion;, jl do not believe in an international church, hut I do believe in a . universal interest in religion and an individual .apprehension of it. I know it is impossible for all to agree on religion any more than for all to agree on politics. You cannot make two persons exactly similar in any religious things:’’ ( Professor Angu§...has either been a student of or holds degrees of a. number of universities, including the Queen’s University (Belfast), Princeton University" (U.S.A.), the Marburg and Berlin Universities (Germany) and the Universitien of Edinburgh and Glasgow. For the last three years he lias been ,a visiting professor to Columbia University. He has been for sixteen years; in Australia.