MuDKIfXISM AND T 1>'.\ 1 > 1 II < »N A I, CHRISTIANITY. 



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records. Etenan was, perhaps, the first to apply the Kantian 

 philosophy to religion in its historical aspect. "Religion," lie 

 says, " is false from the objective point of view, that is to say, 

 in itself, and in regard to that which it commands to be believed ; 

 but it is eternally true from the subjective point of view, that 

 is to say, from the need we have of it and of the religious 

 sentiment with which it corresponds." * 



Spiritual experience, and not historical events, are to the 

 Modernist the perennial source of all religion. The external 

 element, like " Nature in itself," is presented to consciousness 

 only as symbols of reality. Symbolism occupies, no doubt, a 

 large field in religion. When we speak of God as "Light," as 

 " Truth," as " Love," etc., we are using symbols to express 

 truths beyond the reach of our faculties, but it does not follow 

 that all revelation of matters not within the sphere of 

 experience are merely symbols. 



The Bishop of Oxford, Dr. Gore, in an admirable article in 

 the Constructive Quarterly for March, 1914, limits the use of 

 symbolism to the expression of truths which deal with " what 

 lies outside our possible or actual human experience," or 

 " concern the transcendent God, or regions of existence which 

 lie in the beyond " (p. 68). " We are now urged," he goes on to 

 say, " by our Modernist friends to extend the application of this 

 principle so as to recognize that the phrases ' He was conceived 

 by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,' and ' He rose 

 again the third day from the dead,' are symbolical phrases." 

 This Dr. Gore denies. " It cannot, with any show of reason, be 

 denied," he goes on to say, " that the point of Christianity was 

 that these things and the like miracles had actually happened ; 

 and that provision had been made that they should be 

 proclaimed by competent witnesses. The insistence upon actual 

 occurrence and competent witness in the New Testament is 

 unmistakable" (p. 64). "With regard to the Bible language 

 about angels and devils, it is one thins; to recognize the language 

 about the devil ' going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he 

 may devour/ or about the ' unclean spirit ' going through dry 

 places, etc., or about the Angels of little children beholding the 

 face of God in heaven, as symbolical language ; but it is quite 

 another thing to dismiss from our minds the whole idea of good 



* " La religion est fausse au point de vue de l'objet, e'est a dire en elle- 

 menie, et quant a ce qu'elle ordonne a croire ; mais elle est eternellement 

 vraie au point de vue du sujet, e'est a dire du besoin que nous en avons 

 et du sentiment religieux auquel elle correspond." — Patrice. 



