, 1861-03-21
RELIGIOUS Affairs in Great Britain---
The New School Of Theology

!
H1rld, upder date Of the 26th ult., writes as
follows:
In all our theological circles, the question
which excites the deepest interest has refer
euce to this new school Of theology which has
Just now made its appearance among us. That
scheme is developed recently stated lin
volume, displaying much ability and re-
search, entitled ttEssays and Reviews" It Is
the ayoHed productIon--for the authors give
their names-of several clergymen Of eminence
in their different departments, and the: are
applauded fo7 thnir 1nenly candor in not pub.
fishing, as they might have done, anonymously.
In fact, the impression is universal that they
are only the Representatives Of numerous
class Of Oxford diyines, and that very many
connected with that university share in their
opinions, though they have not the manly
courage to make the avowal. In this opinion
l fully concur. It ought, however, to be
men, and thus thst l4ore orthodox college is
Involved in this matter. Fer soma time little
attention was paid to this remarkable volume.
It was not seriously poIdered. Men did not
examine it with care, aud the general impress
sion WIS that it wou1t soon sink into oblivion.
dream. Tie press, daily, weekly and month
", entered on the subject. They analyze tue
work, and discovered and exposed its essential
unsoundness. Then came smother staEe-
clergymen aud ministers began to preach
about it; and in sal leading pulpits Its tcnets
were denounced as subyerslve Of the simplicity
and purity Of the Christian faith And still
the agitation snc-eeses and extends. The
Bishop OF Oxford las preached In his eEn dia-
cese series Of sermons exposing its errors /;
and all who understand his 1eanings must be-
licye TINT bad must it be TO incur his dis
pleasure. will ndd Z few specimens Of this
agitation.
>+1 o~{+ rr&J,
feeling, VIC may not ICE the following: An a6-
dress to the archbishop of Canterbury is IN
course of signature in the diocese of Oxford
-"Can any good come out Of Nazareth pin
which the following statement occurs: t'We
feel that the time IS come when the bishops
and archbishops Of the church OF England may
be able to giye their deliberate and united
| Judgment upon question SO vitality affecting
| the interests and existence Of the church.
We therefore humbly pray your grace to re-
view this expression Of our individual Opin-
| ions, and to be assured Of our hearty and un-
shaken belief in oil the articles Of the Chris
| tian faith, as contained in the formularies ol
thorized Judgment Of the archishops and bish
| ops in n 1natter of such grave Importance
/ would tend much to allay the excitement
which Ii spreading among tho clergy, and tn
restore confidence, we pray your grace to take
some early opportunity Of bringing the sub,
| JeCL uuutG LIS C0ubludIallou Ot L1elf 1oIG-
| kLips," Now, this is alt very well But We do
not know What is meant by m authorized
| judgment" Is not every clergyman as com
petent to form a Judgment for himself as any
bishop? The bishops were orce-and still are
all clergymen. And their elevation has
since added neither power to their intellect
NOR expansion to their knowledge. They were
just as ablc to ha1e dselt with the question
then as now. Nay, every Christian man, With
the Word Of God ii his hand, is perfectly ahle
| to pronounce on these +" Essays and Reviews ~
What is wanted Of the bisbopis, therefore, not
an authorized Judgment" but the adoption
Of means for thetreu1oyal OF men who are III
tent On oyertuEning the church and subyerting
Christianity.
The excellent Bishop Of uurnan Aas litEe4!!
his voice, emphatic and influential as it is,
against this eno7mity. In an address to one
Of his archdeacons, in answer to an address
| from the clergy, he gays II should be falling
:n ny duty as your bishop If hsSitated to ex,
after the carefu1 reading oftne Essaya,' tA11t
a more h terodox vo!tme could scarcely have
been produced. The cautious style of the
writer's may possibly render it difficult to
frame ont Of this nook case for direct legal
Investigation; but no candid reader can be
blind to the fact that, infercntially, the atone
prophecy is' casf Aside, inspiration, In the only
meaning of the term, Is rejected"
Still more significant aid enphatic is the
testimony Of the Archbishop Of Canterbury,
III letter writtsn in reply to al address, and
signed by all the bishops Of England and
Wales, with the single exception of the Bishop
OF Worcester, and that prelate does not add
hi signature solely because. he has not been
consecrated! The venerable archbishop thus
writes: "They fall the other bishops) unani.
mously agree with me in expressing the pain
it has given them that ans clergyman Of our
ot.
as those concerning which you hare addressed
us. We cannot Understand how these opin:
ions can be held consistently with M honest
subscription to the lormularless OF our church
With maRy Of The fundamental doctrines Q!
which t6Sy sppsas t. u 4a Gssfa R.ssa. .al 4 ri
gagged IN. considering whether any legal O.
sy1odicnl sction can be taken By them In this
matter. snch is the present attitude Of thls
very grave question.