Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-18
yTTALIzED THEOLOGY,
PLEA OF NEW DEAN IN
DIVINITY SCHOOL PLAN
pov George G. Bartlett Deliv-
ers Stirring Address on Be-
coming Head of Protestant
Episcopal Institution
NEW PLANT IN SCHEME

A new site, new pui"'''s' 80
-, endowment for the Divinity School
~. Protestant Episcopal Church in
s.r.a.tnbie and the raising of the
sard of theological teaching to cope
-. ,ho study of other professions, were
a for in the inaugural address of
=. pav George Griffiths Bartlett, who
-, Installed today as dean of the school,
,,oupural exercises were attended by
=. h,ebest dignitaries of the church
so,ogates from other denominations.
n the same exercises, held at st. James
,,...oh q2d and Walnut streets, the Rev
] emu CIV enorpe G, Foley was installed pro-
i'. ". n systemauc divinity by Bishop
,sa, Of Rethlehem. Dean Bartlett was
1e.rn,cd by Bishop Rhinelander, of
rr'nrsvivania, and Professor Foley ny
psv Dr. Floyd w. Tomkins, rector
- Holy Trinity Church.
NAN Bartlett, comparing the profess
20 urged the raising of the standards
= ,be Divinity School. as sacrifice.
" 81 am persuaded that better standards
.,s, be Introduced. as they were IN law
n''p nns medicine, by the voluntary action of
one or more of our sern'narles, WI''cn
~ ,oady. for the good of the cause, TO
80 a temporary loss of students !
iss.,d like to see our own school offer
,asste for this sacrifice and service, and
!. have Il claim the reward which such
badness ultimately wins.
/, remedy for immediate considerau l,
:. continued. is to win recruits by group
- academic buildings (Which by their
s,ere appearance would be eloquent
,,ltness to the worth and dignity which
~ church attaches to its ministry
THE "ambitious PLAN" which Dean Bart
,.it outlined included the expenditure of
issncOO or 100000 as the Initial expense for
raw land and buildings.
.rve ask for a new site. free from tie
s,.,avantnges of our present site the
nsan said. 1--WE ask for new buildings.
rrofessors' houses, chapel. and ulti-
rrstely a choir school. We need also ad-
s,tsonal endowments for the library. new
rrosessorships and lectureships and the
foundation of n genuine graduate school
Of theology.
The supply of candidates for the min
( ,nstry should be both more numerous and
better qualified, he declared. For the
rarked change In attitude toward the
ministry as II calling. the dean said, the
church Is not wholly to blame.
Professor Foley's Inaugural speech was
ouery into and an answer of the .ques-
hon. "In the MIDST of so much that is
TRANSITIONAL how may the teacher of
theology lore to he onstructive"
'There is n tendency to disparage the
olosy in the interests of religion, as
though truth were not always the root
NJ practice" he said. THE average
elergymen has almost ceased to read gen
.ral theology; people are said to dislike
doctrnal sermons
'Moreove., we are in the midst of that
Ill. f.,.Vs alal
follows the ages of dogmatism and scho-
lastlclsm and criticism has seemed to
be the solvent of ancient anC cherished
beliefs There is hardly great doctrine
that has been left unassG!led. rany con-
yietions that were taken for granted as
things that cannot be shaken have come
TO be looked upon as open questions
In the face of the secret misyivinS
how may the theologian revitaliZe the an
eeht formula? How may he defend the
tradition as permanent and impregnable,
and at the same time, be free to accept
lhe results of scholarship? | venture to
r think that no previous period was so
fagorable as the present for n satisfac-
, tory combination of conservatism and
hospltality, of loyalty and liberty"
Professor Foley reconciled the differ |
snees between theology and science, the
Unnecessary conflict between which, he !
said was due to representatives of each /
Interfering with the sphere which did not
hflong to them. The intellectual reac- |
tens, he declared, have never been
asalnst the central truths, but against |
the "lesser things which have become !
eonfused with them.
II truth be living he said in con-
cusion, sit is not static, but dynamic: !
Il IS not dead deposit like a geological /
record, but 1t is biological and evolu |
nonary force. Every age has a right to !
ooneeiye the truth in terms of its own !
eonsciousness The Christian mind of |
ue twentieth century has "A right to re- |
ATE truth to its own needs and 20 make (
Ineligible to it's own habits of
bought"
The psalter Was pronounced by Profess
nr Robinson; the lesson by the Rev. DR.. /
'onn' Moekrdge, and the creed and pray
s,Is by The Rev. j. ID. Perry. The Rev.
Henry Martin AIedary was master of cere-
monies, and the Rev. w. Arthur Warner
sAs marshal. A musical program fol-
hwed.