The Penn's Grove record., 1910-06-24
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closer you get to the need of Christ.
The real in life and literature comes
at last to one great yearning-some-
times an unconscious yearning, but a
yearning still-for Christ.
What is the t~heologian's relation to
Christian experience? This is the
central fact of his life and thought.
The faith has brought tc him and to
others salvation, and in the radiant
light of that fact he interprets it. To
express in all its relations the philoso-
ply of the total Christian experience
OF the church, is a brief way of dein-
ing systematic theology. This inner
life OF the church is a power in deeid-
ing the great problems of theology,
and a necessary guide in the interpre-
tation of the Bible. The theologian
ever studies Christian consciousness
that he may adequately express it.
What is his relation to the BibIe2
1t has a vital, but not a mechanical
authority. The Bible is not his pope.
1t vindicates its authority as Gods
Word, as Gods unique revelation, be-
cause it, and it alone, brings the mes
sage which gives complete peace and
leads humanity to its goal. The the
ologian must be true to the whole
Biblical message about Redemption.
He must be true to it because it re-
quires all of it to meet fully the needs
of men. Reverent criticism has no
terrors for him. He gladly accepts its
justified results, but builds his own
work far below all criticism on the
great rock of certainty, the met need
of the race, which criticism cannot
touch. A tentative criticism may
seem to put in doubt some fundamen-
tai. The ultimate criticism will con-
firm them all.
What is the t~heologian's relation to
philosophy? He accepts the philoso-
phical system which seems most per-
fectly to explain the data of exist
ence. But he demands that his philo-
sophy shall be as large as all life
all the Christian facts, as well as all
the other facts of life. His passion
for reality saves him from a one-sided
adherence to any philosophical sys-
tenn at the expense of truth.
What is his relation to science?
AS a classification he accepts and uses
it. When it presumes to call a CLASH
fcation an explanation, when it in
sists that what is merely a description
of the method in which God works is
a self-sustaining process, he parts
company with it. He knows that
science can classify, but cannot ex-
plain. Explanation is the task of phi
losophy and theology.
Now can we get a conception of the
greatness of the systematic theolo-
gian's work? Christian experience,
the Bible, human life, the best philo-
sophy he can attain-these he relates,
combines and fuses, and constructs a
living world-view. HE sees life
steadily and sees it whole.'- Phillips
Brooks defined preaching as giving
truth through personality. The in
terpreter of Christianity is to give
theology through personality. All of
it is to be passed through his own
life-life of head, heart and will, and
is to come forth as a personal message
to the world.
Thus it is to be set on fire, and SO
blazing and shining with power it
will secure the attention and eager
interest of men.
The theology of the graveyard has
no message 70 rany age. A dynamic,
living theology has a message for
every age. Our own age is busy and
brilliant, but it is doubling, suffering
and SHINING for all that. And when
the theologian speaks in a voice ring
ing with reality. it will listen to him,
and will he guided to the Christ, who
alone can give it peace.