, 1876-08-13
SCIENTIFIC THEOLOGY.

10 TIE Editor Qf The Tribune.
CHICAGO, Aug. l0-1s there, between Science
nnd Theology, NO common ground Oh which all
can agree! For z. 500 years there seems to have
been no theological proposition which has CON.
manded universal assent. Science, On the con.
trary, has marched steadily forward, occupying
ground Oh which zll can stand
II We could lay down some one proposition in
Theology to with everybody will agree, having
thus obtained footing Oh common ground,
perhaps wc could advance step By step until so
much would be gained that theology could be
taught, The world over, as one OF the sciences.
Let us commences with the definition of God.
Suppose We define the word - God 81 thus:
The unknown, ultimate CAUSE Of al phe-
ncmella.' f
This definition cannot be reasonably objected
70 BY any one; aud would no doubt be accepted
BY those called Atheists.
]. God is uuknowa, This Is conceded by all
lhe gfcatest thinkers Of all ages tlleolog:ans as
well rs philosophers.
Augustine, the most renowned of the Church
Fothers, says: An adequate lnowledge Of
uoo, anu the power adequately to name Him,
arc unattainable BIZ man, III this earthly lne.''-
TX: 1ria., sii., Z.
He goes further, and says: tIt NAV be cues
llone4 whether any positive affirmation respect
ing Linn Is literally TRUE. Ibid, n, II. And
again: We kn,w with certainty only what
He is not~''-De Ord, H., ~, Il.
lfc;ie1ls says: llc is i1lcomprcheasible, tran
scth;irg I'll human imagination. Again: '.All
our notions Of Him arc itladcuaatc.'
Paul, i is true, said to the men of Athens,
known God,' that whom they ignorantly wor-
Ef:iped lie declared unto them. But what did
he say puiporting to throw any light upon the
nature Of the Divine Being, or upon the mode Of
his c:istencees Paul Was manitcstly we'll
aware that lc was saying nothing new on those
points, because he quote from their own poets
IN confirmation of his statements: "As,'' said
he, - certain also Of yolr own poets have said,
II for We arc also His olspring.' ''-Acts, 11si.,
a, ~ Paul might have referred the Atllcuians
truth Of everything hi taught relating to the
:ha1sctcT or attributes of the Divine Being, or
% the mode Of His existence. Those ptlloso-
piers had taught that God made the world. and
S7s the author Of all goodness and Of all pcing.
fiato said, III the Titnecus. that Gods good
ness was tue reason Of the construction Of the
World. Also that the highest good is not pleas
ofe, nor knowledge alone, but the greatest pos
s'blc hkcncss to God, as the absolutely good.
Aristotle tanelt that the degree Of perfection in
everything varies, according as they arr more OF
less removed from the direct influence Of God.
!, 1t Is plain that all that Paul undertook to de-
cafc Is new to the Of Athens related to
u 1te mission Of Christ and to the resurrection.
lnese could be accepted or rejected aud thu in
before
God is the ultimate cause
Sohmenclng With phenomena of any kind,
sEethes wtat VIC call material OF that which is
DESIGNATED IS spiritual, observe certain rela-
LIONS TO Which VIC give the name Of cause and
Iuect. These causcs We trace back to other
,,a;uses, ,;l, ana SO on, sometimes through many
Allhs III the chain Of causation, But in every
Ssse VIC arrive at point where thu process can |
oe corr1ed no further; sometimes merely from a !
manifest want of intelligence concerning the !
4Srnna hR.
sa ause thc only remaining step would seem to t
Ieaen INC cad Of tho chain, the final or ultimate
SSuse~ G1se~ lhis final or ultimate cause we cali |
And even in those cases where ne think we !
auiu Sa follow the chain of causation further |
~ a.eA, VIC bad more information OF the laws OF |
pnehoneEa, VIC still recognize the TRUTH that |
w would at last arrive at the final or ultimate
eaTse, Ts, ana that cause, as before, We call God.
M mus We como to the truth Of our definition, |
mus lar it is strictly scientific, and should COM
nahd the assent of all.
90 soon as nc 60 beyond this; so soon Is We |
tiGcate OF this ultimate cause,-eyen that Of in
hs true the prcdication may |
t W. be found to differ and where, there
toIe, Inc strictly scientific character Of the
afhnnl1on h Will be lost Probably ninety-nine in
uunufed, and perhaps nine hundred and nine
ho1d;ae hs,ne IN IN THOUSAND, will agree With NE in
nnooins nns that God without intelligence is no
N.Y.. ~. At AZ, and that the definition to be COM
pleIe 1 to our minds should read, .sintelligent,'
- - wen q !" ultimate " cause. But the hun
~ tteoth or the thousandth would not be willing
~ ~ xuopt and their opinions would be entitled
~ ~ sesPcct, the more SO because those holding |
sa. suem Fould hot be found among the most igno-
san,, |aat Their argument runs thus: What He call
ssae a.ntilsenee is gu attribute Of humanity, and
a.ay sa Ut may not be predicatcd Of the author or
Isuse o. the universe Whether or not it is ii
aae aeas o. Him VIC do not know. As the greater
n.uoes the less, If VIC cannot predicate this,
asLher can we any other OF the supposed attri-
outes . Of God In the definition. When we go
,e3ona ~ thls We pass into the region Of faith
,t', ,bat, it will be asked cui bono: OF what use
;Has s;a 20 contrast the groundwork OF theology9
,imply ,94 that we may have something in common
III I'm az mankind, as We have in science Those
~ 'no nelleEc more give up nothing They sim
y S come M down, in the definition, upon ground
|ae1e all can stand. ".
KNOWLEDGE OF SIN.
THE KSOWLEDGE OF GOD.
10 the Editor of The Tribune.
CafcAGo, Aug. 1.-the most important ap-
oFl IN MIR ]