I40 THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS 



The Bible was not written under circumstances, or for 

 purposes, which permit it to be treated successfully in 

 that manner. It contains many data by which catholic 

 doctrines can be illustrated and confirmed; but, as I 

 have already said in another connection, their value 

 for proving purposes depends to a large extent upon 

 inductive treatment — that is, upon treating them as 

 phenomena which, in their totahty and in their mutual 

 and historical connections, can best be explained by 

 the hypotheses which are afforded by cathohc doctrine/ 

 The data in Scripture which are most reasonably 

 explained by the catholic doctrine of the fall may be 

 arranged in four groups: (a) the spiritual impHcations 

 of the Eden narrative; (b) the gradual revelation dur- 

 ing Old Testament times of the several ideas which are 

 contained in the doctrine in question; (c) the impH- 

 cations of New Testament teaching concerning the 

 effects of redemption and baptismal grace; (d) the 

 inspired teachings of St. Paul as to the first and second 

 Adam. In considering these data the cathohc doc- 

 trine of bibhcal inspiration requires us to assume that 

 the spiritual teachings of the Scriptures, although very 

 unequal in maturity and definitencss of expression, 



1 See pp. 123, 124, above. Cf. the author's Authority, Eccles. and 

 Biblical, ch. vii. § 9. 



The appearance of strength in Dr. Tennant's attack upon the 

 biblical argument for the doctrine of original sin is chiefly due to 

 his giving a negative turn to the proof-text method. He rests his 

 case in this direction upon what the proof-texts do not prove, that 

 is, when separately considered. He ought to have reckoned with the 

 contention that catholic doctrine affords an explanation of all the 

 relevant phenomena of revelation, inductively considered. 



