Effects of historic criticism on Theology, 1; and especially on Protestant religion,
which is based on the Bible, 3. Hence instability and an apologetic attitude,
4. Some think we can do without doctrine, 5. Forces of negation in art,
politics, and religion, 7. The only final appeal is to realities of human
nature, 8; distinguishing fact from theory, 10. Vast field now opening out
to religion, 11.
Religious experience defies denial, 13. We must not seek it among the un-
civilised, 14. Psychological analysis of it: the inner and the outer life, 15.
The conscience and its working, 17. The experience of sin, 18. The
possibility of redemption, 19. Shown in the history of Christianity, 21.
The inner life and prayer, 22. The inner sense varies greatly in individuals,
yet is based on human nature, 23.
Hence we start not from speculative assertions nor from emotion, but from facts
of conduct, 33. First fact, God is on the side of right doing, 34, and
ourselves moral beings, 35. Enlightenment spreads from action to know-
ledge, 36. The character of prayer and grace, 37. Hence attribution to
God of personality, 38, and of kindness, 39, but not of mere human person-
ality, 40. The facts of evil inspiration, 41, lead us to believe in a Power
of evil, 41. But the facts of atavism may account for them in part, 42.
Religious knowledge not speculatively valid, but attains to universal sub-
jectivity and practical objectivity, 44. Doctrine should be founded on
experience real and general, and not cast in the mould of false intellectual
views, 45.
Besides doctrine based on fact, much which has value, but contains illusion, 57.
Practical illusions necessary to the vigour of life, 58. In speculation also
illusion serves a purpose, 61. We may account for it by distinguishing
ideal truth from scientific fact, 62. In the past those who have held to
illusion in doctrine often more right than those who have rejected it:
examples, 64. What is needed is rather transposition than denial of
doctrine example from the Gospels, 65. If no absolute test exist, two
persons in pursuit of duty may clash, 68. But such clashing usually the
result of egotism, 69.
How they affect societies and individuals, 75. The
Alternative phrases, doctrines, 77; revelations, 78 ;
inspirations, 79; experiences, 79; principles, 79; laws, 80; forms, 81;
tendences, 81; realities, 81. Objectivity of the divine ideas, 82. Their
working, 83.
Ideas good, of temporary value, or evil, 86. Biological test that of survival, 87,
can only be used negatively. Argument from universal consent, 89. Ideas
which meet a temporary need, 90. The test of fruits, 91. Reason an in-
sufficient test, 91. Dignity of history ethically studied, 92.
Ways in which ideas can be embodied, 94. We shall speak only of intellectual
embodiments, 95. The myth, its indefiniteness, 96. It arises out of some
human need, 95, and is ætiological, 98. (1) Physical myths, meteorologic
and geographic, 99. (2) Myths of custom or ritual; examples, 100.
Ethical myths, connected with the growth of religion, in Greece, 102; in
Judæa, 104. Ethical superiority of the latter, 105. Myths regarded in a
natural and in a religious aspect, 106. How they become outworn, 106.
These outgrowths take place in three directions, 108. (1) As regards the past,
there arises history full of tendence, 109. Predominance of ethical motive
in early Greek historians, 110. Early Hebrew history, 112. (2) As regards
the future, there arises prophecy, not scientific prediction, but insight, 113.
(3) As regards the present, there arise parables, which are purposeful
myths, 114; and doctrine, 116.
Change in our mental attitude towards history, 126. What we can recover
objectively is only visible fact, 128; which by ancient writers was used
only as material for the embodiment of ideas, 129. We must extract
purpose before we can accept testimony, 129. This often impossible, nor is
it unimportant what was believed at the time, 131. Problem as regards
Scripture history like that which formerly arose in the conflict between
scientific enquiry and the Bible, 133. Mode of reconcilement, 134. Necessity
of the acceptance of evolution, 135. But the influence of personality must
not be gainsaid, 136. Bias cannot be eliminated, but may be moderated,
137. Effects on Christian belief, 138. Proposed remedy, 140. Need of
considering the purpose of the Evangelists, 140. Problem resembles that
of the topography of Jerusalem, 141. Definition of the writer's position, 142.
The Gospels must be analysed before they can be fully used, 144. St. Paul tells
us little of his Master's life, 145. The Synoptists and the Fourth Gospel,
145. The medium, Hellenistic and Jewish, 148. Comparison of the
traditions of the life of Mohammed, 150. Examples of colouring of the
Gospel narrative by surroundings, 150. The day of the Crucifixion, 152.
Effect on the narrative of early controversy with the Jews, 154; of mis-
understanding of prophecy, 156; and of the mixture of vision with fact,
157. The sayings of Jesus less contaminated than the life, 158.
The Gospels moulded also by customs of style in writing history, 159.
Example, the custom of composing speeches for characters in Thucydides and
Tacitus, 160. John, though possessing valuable historic traditions, composes
speeches for his Master, 162; much as Plato does for Socrates, 164. Hence
difficulties in the way of an objective biography, 166. Nor have critical
modern writers succeeded in producing such a life, 168. Freshly discovered
documents help little, 170. The life produced not to accord with fact, but
to support doctrine, 171.
NOTE 1.-M. A. Reville's Jesus de Nazareth the latest attempt at an objective
life its comparative failure, 172.
NOTE 2.-M. P. Sabatier's Vie de S. François, presents a striking parallel to
the Gospel history, 174.
We have to consider, not only the psychology of religion, but also the historic
surroundings of Jesus, 177. The character of his teaching recoverable, 179.
The central fact his claim to Messiahship, 181; interpreted in inner and
spiritual fashion, 183. Adoption and raising of the Jewish idea of God,
184. Man as the Son of God, 186. The phrase Son of Man, how inter-
preted by Jesus, 187. Often he seemed to exalt his message above himself,
189. Jesus does not apply to himself the phrase Son of God, but it may be
implied, 190.
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