TS THE CHRISTIAN RELIGIOX DECLINING? 423 



IS THE CHKISTIAN KELIGION DECLINmG? 



Bv THE Rev. CHARLES AUGUSTUS BRIGGS, D. D., 



PROFESSOR OF BIBLICAL THEOLOGY, UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 



THE question whether the Christian religion is declining is agi- 

 tating the public mind in some measure at the present time. 

 This is due to the many changes that are taking place in the forms 

 of religion, the types of doctrine, and the methods of action in the 

 numerous religious organizations which bear the name of Jesus 

 Christ. Are these changes symptoms of disease and decay in the 

 Christian religion, or are they evidences of renewed vitality and 

 enlargement by growth? It is quite evident that many things 

 which have been regarded as important and even essential in the 

 past have declined in importance, and some of them seem to be 

 on the eve of disappearing altogether. It is not surprising that 

 those who have been trained to regard these as essential to Chris- 

 tianity should think that the Christian religion is declining with 

 them. If, however, these things are not so important as has been 

 supposed, but have gained for a time an exaggerated importance, 

 then their decline to their normal position and the advance of 

 other things to their rightful place, as more important things than 

 has hitherto been supposed — all this is evidence of a healthful ad- 

 vance in Christianity. This question, therefore, will be answered 

 in accordance with the point of view of the one who considers it. 

 If it is to be answered correctly we must put aside all prejudice, 

 and examine the whole situation candidly and with a critical scien- 

 tific spirit. It is impracticable within the bounds of this article 

 to examine this question on all sides. We can only make a few 

 suggestions relating to it. 



It is necessary at the outset to approach the question aright. 

 We must distinguish between what is essential to the Christian 

 religion and what is non-essential. This is not so easy a task as 

 one might imagine. We can only make this distinction generally, 

 and not with scientific precision. In the study of religions we 

 have to distinguish (1) the more fundamental things in the his- 

 torical institutions and experience in life; (2) the doctrines which 

 express the popular belief or scientific knowledge of the adherents 

 of the religion; and (3) the expression of the religion in ethical 

 principles and moral conduct. The order of development is always 

 life, doctrine, morals. The earlier stages of the Christian religion 

 and of Christian experience at any time and in any community is 

 the vital experience and the institutional organization. Doctrines 

 of faith and knowledge presuppose the vital relation, and morals 



