The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-10-08
RADICAL THEOLOGY


 Reviewed by Conservative Ministers.
 A clerical association, at it's session Tuesday, had for it's topic, What Shall Ministers Do With the New Theology" The deliberations were not directed to this question, however, but rather by the contents of the preface to The An tichrist," forthcoming book by Dr, Samuel J. Andrews of Hartford, which preface was read to the association from advance sheets. It treats of the new Christianity as an outgroWth of modern philosophy.
 The struggle of German philosophy has been to bring all things into unity. It denies that God and man and nature are distinct existences. Divinity and humanity are one. Hegel teaches that man is essentially one with God; Spino- za, that all that exists is in God; Prof. Upton, that all human beings are so many differentiations of God. The no- tion of divine transcendence should give place to the notion of the divine immanence.
 
 divine humanity in God By the incar- nation, God became man only as he was man from eternity. In the diety there is a human element. Maurice says that Christ's incarnation was the coming forth of something that was always in God. "Very God of very God" in the Nicene creed, may be applied to man as well as to Christ. In the reasoning thus presented, the deification of man is involved.
 This tenet of philosophy, that all things must be unified, is the character istic feature of recent theology. This theology looks upon theological knowl- edge as transitional, like all other knowledge. All doctrines must change with the change of our idea of God,
 If man has no distinct existence, there is no sinfulness There is tarnish on the face of a coin-that is all Restore persons to their originaI goodness. Save them by showing them the divinity of their nature. The mission of Jesus was not sacrificial; He presents the ideal of life. Is Christ the son of God? Only in the same sense as all men are. He was the first to recognize the common f1lial relation. The consciousness of sonshir is the essence of Christianity.
 Dr. Andrews is unable to conceive of creator and that which he creates as being one thing; or of communion between one being and the same being, and so forth.
 Commenting upon the subject thus brought forward before the association mentioned an interview with law yer in which he expressed the. opinion that ethical culture would make a re- lig1ous, renewed community. This member agreed with Dr. Andrews ir thinking it inconceivable that the creat ure can be identical with his creator He would desire that ministers, in theil preaching, emphasize, C) the personal ity of God, CD the doctrine of creation antagonizing the Oriental idea of eman ation; (S) the fact of sin, the fall ol man: (4) the personality and the re demptiye work of Christ. The preach. ing of the fundamental truth was never more needed than now. It was many years, said the speaker, since I have heard sermon on repentance. A vol ume of sermons by Dr. Dale was nam. ed as illustrating an admirable method of discussing theological subjects
 T. expressed the conviction that thu new theology which had been set fortl would not be useful in some regions where he had labored. Tell a cowboy You are good fellow; you are a par of God,' and he would reply, "Boss, am cuss." Let Finney preach in Nev Haven the same truths he used t, preach, and there would be a new If, in the churches.
 c disbelieved that the restoration 0 l earlier theology would be an advantage | What we want is religious vitality il churches, in families, in our own souls | I am not anxious, said the speaker about the form of thought. Preacl God so loved the world,' etc. Talk this Scripture for the text of doctrine By their fruits ye shall know them.' l D could not say with Dr. Lyman Alb bolt, that Christ is divine in Q greate degree than man is; he would be oblig ed to add that there is difference z il quality as well as quantity.
 F has found that he can weave som of the new ideas into his preaching, bu
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