The Washington herald., 1907-01-13
RESTATES THEOLOGY
English NOncOnfOrmist to
Address Pastors.
REJECTS BIBLE DOCTRINES
Believes In Christ as an Ideal Man
and Denies Literal Correctness Of
Teaching Differs from Unitarian
ism In Respect to the Deity.

London. Jan. 12.-The great modlica-
tions in religious belief which are taking
place throughout the Christian world
Have been manifesting themselves with
/ especial prominence recently in England.
The leader in radical revision Of faith
! is r. J. Campbell. pastor OF the City
Temple, and the recognized head Of the
/ English nonconformists. He is about TO
make q tour of the country, addressing
/ gatherings Of provincial pastors at their
request upon "Restated Theology In
asmuch as Rev Mr. Campbell rejects
many of the churchs dogmas such as
/ the story of the fan Of man. il viii be
/ seen how radically different from the old
is the new theology which is supplanting
/ the religious beliefs Of a generation ago in
+ England.
Wants No Ecclesiastical Labels.
/ Mr. Campbell states his views with the
utmost franknesS in London paper to-
/ day. I'VE object" he says ito the
formal statements Of belief which have
distinguished the theology OF the past.
We object 70 ecclesiastical labels. Every
one knows that for the past twenty years
there has been a considerable uneasiness
/ in churches. due entirely 20 the develop
ment Of scientific knowledge, the progress
Of archaeology. and the study Of COM
parative religion.
''The starting point 81 the new theology
/ is belief in the immanence Of God and the
/ essential oneness Of God and man. This
+ is where it differs from Unitarianism
I Unitarianism made a great gulf and put
man on one side and God on the other
+ We believe man 20 be a revelation Of God
The word God stands for the infinite
reality whence all things proceed. Our
being is the same as Gods, although our
/ conscience OF 10 is limited. We see the
revelation Of God in everything around MS.
Jesus Perfect Example of Humanity.
The new theology holds that human
nature should be interpreted in terms Of
It's own highest. and therefore il rever-
euces Jesus Christ u looks upon Jesus
as a perfect example of what humanity
ought TO be. the life which perfectly ex-
presses God in our limited human expert
4 ences. So far as we are able to see. the
highest kind of life that can be lived IS
the life which is lived IN terms Of the
whole. az The life Of Jesus. Every man
is potential Christ. or. rather. mani
festation Of the eternal Christ, that side
Of the nature Of God from which all
humanity has come forth.
The new theology looks upon evil as
q negative rather than a positive term.
. II is the shadow where light ought 10
be; IL is the perceived privation Of good;
. it belongs only 20 fniteness. Pain is the
effort Of the spirit 10 break through the
limitations which II feels 10 be evil.
The new theology. OF course, believes
/ in the immortality Of the soul. but only
. on the ground that every individual con-
/ sCiousness is d ray Of the universal con
IsCiousness and cannot be destroyed.
Rejects Idea Of Fall and AtOnement.
From all this Il viii surely be clear
that the new theology brushes aside many
OF the most familiar dogmas still taught
from the pulpit We believe that the
story Of the fall in the literal sense is
untrue.
The doctrine Of sin. which holds US 10
be blameworthy for deeds that we cannot
help. We believe 20 be a false view. Sin
is simply selfshness. II is an offense
against the God within. a violation OF
the Law OF love. We reject wholly the
common Interpretation OF stonemenJ. that
another is punished for our fault We be-
lieve not in a final Judgment. but in a
judgment that is ever proceeding. Every
sin involves suffering. suffering which
cannot be remiJted by any work Of an
other"