1 6 MODERN DIFFICULTIES 



tions of the Gospel narratives strengthen rather than 

 weaken their concurrent witness to the fundamental 

 facts upon which the Christian religion is based. But 

 those who have not mastered the arguments of Chris- 

 tian apologists are confused by the attacks of biblical 

 critics upon the historical trustworthiness of Scripture; 

 and, as a result, many are losing confidence in the credi- 

 bility of historical Christianity. I believe that the 

 ground which is being lost on this account is destined 

 fully to be recovered. But the victory will not be won 

 by abandoning the ancient doctrine of bibhcal inspira- 

 tion. It w^ill be achieved rather by propagating sound 

 views of the purpose of such inspiration, and of the 

 proper interpretation and use of Scripture.^ 



(b) A second form of opposition to Christian doc- 

 trine is pantheism — a name which stands for various 

 systems of thought that are inconsistent with any clear 

 distinction between the Creator and His creatures. 

 Pantheistic forms of thought and language are some- 

 what widely prevalent, even among those who would 

 repudiate any clear assertion of the identity of God 

 and the universe. The chief cause of this is a new way 

 of regarding the universe which has been brought in 

 by evolutionary thought. Before the time of Darwin 

 men were apt to think of the universe as a vast machine 

 which God created and completed once for all, and 

 with which He cannot interfere without subverting 



1 The position here taken is more elaborately exhibited and de- 

 fended in the author's Authority, Eccles. and Biblical, chh. vi, vii. 

 See pp. 1 1 9-1 23, below, for a continuation of the subject of biblical 

 infallibility. 



