368 THE EVOLUTION OF THEOLOGY vill 



Christian Churches, orthodox and heterodox. The 

 steps in this evolution are obvious. The first is 

 the birth of a new theological scheme arising out 

 of the union of elements derived from Greek 

 philosophy with elements derived from Israelitic 

 theology. In the fourth Gospel, the Logos, raised 

 to a somewhat higher degree of personification 

 than in the Alexandrian theosophy, is identified 

 with Jesus of Nazareth. In the Epistles, especially 

 the later of those attributed to Paul, the Israelitic 

 ideas of the Messiah and of sacrificial atonement 

 coalesce with one another and with the embodiment 

 of the Logos in Jesus, until the apotheosis of the 

 Son of man is almost, or quite, effected. The 

 history of Christian dogma, from Justin to 

 Athanasius, is a record of continual progress in the 

 same direction, until the fair body of religion, 

 revealed in almost naked purity by the prophets, 

 is once more hidden under a new accumulation of 

 dogmas and of ritual practices of which the 

 primitive Nazarene knew nothing ; and which he 

 would probably have regarded as blasphemous if 

 he could have been made to understand them. 



As, century after century, the ages roll on, poly- 

 theism comes back under the disguise of Mariolatry 

 and the adoration of saints; image-worship becomes 

 as rampant as in old Egypt ; adoration of relics 

 takes the place of the old fetish-worship; the 

 virtues of the ephod pale before those of holy 

 coats and handkerchiefs; shrines and calvaries 



