The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-28
Dogma aud Christianity.

Dogma and Christianity.
We print to-day, in another column,
n letter critlcising the position OF The
Sun concerning science and religion, as the
author assumes 1t TO be. The essence Of It
all Is contained in this remark: Christian
thought il the genius Of modern thought.
Christian thought cannot escape the funds-
mental law OF thought Itself, and 1t 10 more
and more aligning itself on the side OF
truth, not on the side o; dogma" As an
Illustration OF his meaning the writer
refers TO d recent address at Cooper Insti-
tute by a Unitarian minister on Religion
Reduce to lts Simplest Forms"
Now, according to the Unitarian theory.
and also the theory II our correspondent,
The authority OF JESUS consists only in the
intrinsic truth Of His Gospel and does not
az all depend on any dogma Of Hi, Divine
authority 40 proclaimed by all orthodox
theology; IL is rather IN what He taught,
than in His authority a. IL supernatural
Being, invested with the garment o,
humanity. Their philosophy classitles JESUS
with merely human teachers and thus re-
moves and destroys the basis OF Christian
faith-renders it unnecessary. Moreover,
II the teachings Of JESUS are so regarded
and treated they are at once brought
within the sphere OF critical examination,
as the Jews, for instance, insist on bringing
them. There they are open to discussion
and controversy on their merits simply.
A few years ago a distinguished Hebrew
critic assaulted the Christian philosophy as
intoxicating q system Of thought and rom
duct dangerous 70 the welfare Of society
In It's communistic features and Its doctrine
OF non.resistance, for example. II il was
actually applied In human society, he con-
tended, the whole social organization would
be broken up and civilization would degen-
erate into barbaIlsm. for the law OF strug-
gls and competition for superiority would
be ~abrogated and the progress Of society
would be regulated by the movement posi-
bic to the feeblest.
This Is only an illustration OF what would
befall II the theory Of our correspondent
WAS adopted generally by Christians. In
stead OF there being unity and agreement
in accepting Christianity as true religious
thought, there would be even more diversity
regarding it thar there is now, when the
Church, through the dogmas OF the linear
nation and Redemption, asserts Divine
and therefore supernatural authority. II
it Is only human In Its origin its measure
Of value also is human only, and 1t can be
as properly criticised and ~ccntrovsrted az
Ia the philosophy of HERBERT SPENCER or
| the teaching Of MoHAMMED. II no longer
| stands alone, but must be considered on its
merits "a a human production and com
parable with other religious PHILOSOPHERS,
ancient and modern. Such would be the
| consequence Of the destruction Of dogma,
for which our correspondent contends.
II would involve a religious revolution
| u~nexampled In the history Of the world; No
Church, Catholic or Protestant, could sur.
vivc IT.; the unity which would ensue would
Re unity In the rejection Of Christian theol.
| osy. In place Of belief in Divine authority
there would enter in critical controversy as
30 the rrasonableness and practical value oi
the social and ethical. teachings Of a mar
| who lived nineteen hundred years ago.
II is the fashion Of such minds as our.cor.
respondent to deride dogma, but our
only authority for a supernatural religion
| must necessarily be dogma. All religions
have depended on 1t; the mystery Of the
origin and destiny OF man, Of the immortal
ity OF the soul, and Of the government Of
COP. la insoluble by human reason or
knowledge. II must he opened VI 10 man
by authoritative revelation from Cop or Il
is forever closed and insc.ntable. Belief
not scientific proof, is the only key TO it
| and whoever rejects dogma, demanding
natural demonstration, must in the end
! CIV. up tho question a. unanswcrahle, or
in other words, fall into agnostinisn. There
may succeed for him such an ethical sys.
tenn AZ our correspondent would substi, ut.
for Christianity, but that the system laugh,
by JESUS would surely be accepted by such
a man a. complete, flnal truth cannot h.
assumed a. he assumes In his letter.
Christianity as proclaimed BY the tho.
ology of Chr,-tendom rests "a faith in Ger
tain occurrences whose happening it dog.
matical'y asserts TO b., supernatural and
therefore wholly outside the possible do.
main q: scientific demonstration. So IN,
from agreeing with natural possibility
they ~ in it's face anu fatty contradict ii,
Without q foundation of faith In dogmstic
authority, therefore, Christian theology
t"- r"'hinr TO rsst on except q bns'- ri