There were no prefatory remarks to the first and second editions of the following work. It was thought, when the printer made his final call for copy, that a preface might be written with more propriety if the public should indicate sufficient interest in the book to make its improvement and enlargement necessary. That interest, owing to the theme rather than the treatment, has not been withheld. The investigation of the subject was pursued in the midst of varied and pressing pastoral duties, with a pleasure which no reader of the result of the labor can enjoy; for, first, the author felt that Rationalism was soon to be the chief topic of theological inquiry in the Anglo-Saxon lands; and, second, he regarded the doubt, not less than the faith, of his fellow men as entitled to far more respect and patient investigation than it had usually received at the hands of orthodox inquirers.
The author would probably never have studied the genetic development of Rationalism in Germany, and its varied forms in other countries, if he had not been a personal witness to the ruin it had wrought in the land of Luther, Spener, and Zinzendorf. In compliance with the instruction of a trusted medical adviser, he sailed for Germany in the summer of 1856, as a final resort for relief from serious pulmonary disease. But, through the mercy of God, he regained health so rapidly that he was enabled to matriculate in the University of Halle in the following autumn, and to be a daily attendant upon the lectures of such men as Tholuck, Julius Müller, Jacobi, and Roediger. From some theologians he heard Rationalism defended with an energy worthy of Wolff and Semler; from others with a devotion worthy of the beloved Neander. In the railroad car, the stage, the counting-room, the workshop, the parlor, and the peasant-hut, Rationalism was found still lingering with a strong, though relaxing grasp. The evangelical churches were attended by only a few listless hearers. His prayer to God was, "May the American Church never be reduced to this sad fate." The history of that movement, resulting in such actual disaster to some lands and threatened ruin to others, took a deep hold upon his mind; and if he has failed in any respect to trace it with an impartial pen, his hope is that his failure will not cause any bright color of the truth to be obscured for a moment. For no man and no cause can ultimately triumph by giving an undue prominence to favorite party or principles; it is only by justice to all that the truth can win its unfading laurels.
Criticism was to have been expected, from the very nature of the topic of investigation. But the author has endeavored, as a student at the feet of his judges, to derive the largest possible benefit from criticism. No word of censure, however wide of the mark, has been unwelcome to him, whether from the sceptical or orthodox press. To all questioned passages he has given a careful re-examination, in some instances finding cause for alteration, but in others seeing his ground more strongly sustained than was at first imagined. He has, for example, been informed by many esteemed persons that his representation of Coleridge was hardly just; and, in obedience to that suggestion, he has given that author's works a more careful study than ever, having previously resolved to completely reverse his judgment of that profound thinker's faith, if he found his own utterances would justify him in that course. The result was, as far as he can now recall, that he could alter but one adjective in the entire section relating to Coleridge. Of course, the author finds no fault with those who differ from him on Coleridge, or on any other writer who has come under treatment; but he must be granted by others what he concedes to them. For the criticism, as a whole, which he has received both through the press and private sources, he owes a debt of gratitude which he cannot hope to pay. It gives him profound pleasure to know, that the highest theological journals in the United States which wage open war against orthodoxy, have conceded, with marked unanimity, the general correctness of his statements, though they naturally take issue with his conclusions.
Every effort has been bestowed on the present edition to make it as free from blemishes as possible. The appendix of literature has been slightly enlarged, many typographical errors—occurring in consequence of the too rapid passage of the work through the press, and the abundance of words of different languages with which the printer was not always well acquainted—have disappeared; and, in many cases, the narrative has been brought down to the present time. In the prosecution of revision, a large number of the stereotype plates have been cancelled; and no labor has been wanting to make this edition worthy of the goodwill expressed toward the two editions which have preceded it.
Through a strange providence the author is now about to commence a term of theological instruction in Germany, where Rationalism first excited his attention, and where his apprehensions were first raised that Great Britain and the United States might be seriously invaded by it. His presence at its old hearthstone leads him to indulge the hope that, in some future though distant day, if life be spared, he may be able to enlarge this history greatly, and thus to render it better adapted to its purpose, more approximative to his first ideal, and more commensurate with the present universal interest in religious and theological themes.
Bremen, Germany, November 5, 1866.
Page | ||
INTRODUCTION. | ||
Systematic History of Infidelity, | 2-3 | |
Best Method of refuting Rationalism, | 3-4 | |
Rationalism not an unmixed Evil, | 4-6 | |
Definitions of Rationalism: | ||
Wegscheider, | 8 | |
Stäudlin, | 11 | |
Hahn, | 12 | |
Rose, | 13 | |
Bretschneider, | 14 | |
McCaul, | 16 | |
Saintes, | 19 | |
Lecky, | 22 | |
Classes of Rationalists, | 24-26 | |
Causes of the success of Rationalism, | 26-32 | |
Four Considerations in Reference to Rationalism, | 32-35 | |
CHAPTER I. | ||
CONTROVERSIAL PERIOD SUCCEEDING THE REFORMATION. | ||
Causes of the Controversial Spirit, | 38 | |
The Controversies described, | 39, 40 | |
George Calixtus, | 40-45 | |
Jacob Boehme, | 46-49 | |
John Arndt, | 49-51 | |
John Gerhard, | 51-53 | |
John Valentine Andreä, | 53-55 | |
CHAPTER II. | ||
RELIGIOUS CONDITION OF THE PROTESTANT CHURCH AT THE PEACE OF WESTPHALIA. | ||
Description of the Thirty Years' War, | 56-59 | |
Religious Decline of the Church, | 59-61 | |
Neglect of Children, | 62-65 | |
Defects of Theological Literature, | 66-68 | |
Low State of Theological Instruction, | 68, 69 | |
Imperfect Preaching of the Time, | 69-73 | |
Immorality of the Clergy and Theological Professors, | 73-77 | |
Religious Indifference of the Upper Classes, | 77-80 | |
CHAPTER III. | ||
PIETISM AND ITS MISSION. | ||
Philosophy of the Period, | 82 | |
Improvement dependent on Individuals, | 84, 85 | |
What Pietism proposed to do, | 85-88 | |
Principles of Pietism, | 88, 89 | |
Philip Jacob Spener, the Founder of Pietism, | 89-93 | |
University of Halle, | 93 | |
Augustus Hermann Francke, | 93-95 | |
The Orphan House at Halle, | 95-97 | |
Influence of the University of Halle, | 97, 98 | |
Arnold and Thomasius, | 98, 99 | |
New Generation of Professors in Halle, | 99, 100 | |
Cause of the Decline of Pietism, | 102 | |
CHAPTER IV. | ||
THE POPULAR PHILOSOPHY OF WOLFF.—SKEPTICAL TENDENCIES FROM ABROAD. | ||
Leibnitz, Founder of the Wolffian Philosophy, | 103, 104 | |
Wolff and the Popular Philosophy, | 104-111 | |
The School of Wolff, | 111 | |
Töllner, | 112 | |
English Deism in Germany, | 113-117 | |
English Deism in France | 117, 118 | |
Voltaire and Frederic the Great, | 119-123 | |
Frederic's Regret at Skepticism in Prussia, | 123, 124 | |
CHAPTER V. | ||
SEMLER AND THE DESTRUCTIVE SCHOOL.—1750-1810. | ||
Influence of Foreign Skepticism on the German Church, | 125, 126 | |
Semler and the Accommodation-Theory, | 126-131 | |
Semler's Private Life, | 135-137 | |
Influence of Semler's destructive Criticism, | 137, 138 | |
Edelmann, | 138, 139 | |
Bahrdt,—his Writings, and depraved Character, | 139-143 | |
CHAPTER VI. | ||
CONTRIBUTIONS OF LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY. | ||
Prevalence of Semler's Opinions, | 144, 145 | |
Mental Activity of the Times, | 145 | |
Adherents to the Accommodation-Theory, | 147, 148 | |
Literary Agencies: | ||
Nicolai's Universal German Library, | 147, 148 | |
Rationalistic Spirit in Berlin, | 148 | |
Wolfenbüttel Fragments, | 149-156 | |
Philosophical Agencies: | ||
Kant and his System, | 156-162 | |
Service rendered by Kant, | 162 | |
Jacobi, | 162, 163 | |
Fichte, | 163 | |
Schelling, | 164 | |
Hegel, | 164, 165 | |
Grouping of the Philosophical Schools, | 165-167 | |
CHAPTER VII. | ||
THE REIGN OF THE WEIMAR CIRCLE.—REVOLUTION IN EDUCATION AND HYMNOLOGY. | ||
Harmony of the prevalent philosophical Systems, | 169 | |
Karl August of Weimar and his literary Circle, | 169-171 | |
John Gottfried Herder, | 171-179 | |
Schiller, | 179-182 | |
Goethe, | 182, 183 | |
Deleterious Change in Education, | 184 | |
Basedow, and his Philanthropium, | 184-187 | |
Campe and Salzmann, | 187, 188 | |
Rationalistic Elementary Books, | 189-193 | |
Alteration of the German Hymns, | 194, 195 | |
Decline of Church Music, | 195 | |
Inability of Orthodox Theologians to resist Rationalism, | 195, 196 | |
CHAPTER VIII. | ||
DOCTRINES OF RATIONALISM IN THE DAY OF ITS STRENGTH. | ||
Desolate Condition of the Church, | 197, 198 | |
Rationalism without a Common System, | 198, 199 | |
Opinions of the Rationalists: | ||
Religion, | 199 | |
Existence of God, | 199, 200 | |
Doctrine of Inspiration, | 200-202 | |
Credibility of the Scriptures, | 203-206 | |
Fall of Man, | 206, 207 | |
Miracles, | 207-211 | |
Prophecy, | 211-214 | |
Person of Christ, | 214-218 | |
CHAPTER IX. | ||
RENOVATION INAUGURATED BY SCHLEIERMACHER. | ||
Protestant Germany at the Commencement of the Nineteenth Century, | 220-222 | |
Fichte, and his Popular Appeal, | 222-224 | |
Schleiermacher, | 224-229 | |
The Romantic School, | 230 | |
Ecclesiastical Reconstruction inaugurated by Frederic William III., | 230, 231 | |
The Union of the Lutheran and Reformed Churches, | 231, 232 | |
Claus Harms—his 95 Theses, | 232-236 | |
CHAPTER X. | ||
RELATIONS OF RATIONALISM AND SUPERNATURALISM.—1810-1835. | ||
The Task before the New Church, | 237 | |
Rationalism strengthened by Röhr and Wegscheider, | 238 | |
The terms, Rationalism and Supernaturalism, | 239 | |
Tittmann, | 239, 240 | |
Tzschirner, | 240 | |
Schott, | 241 | |
Schleiermacher's System of Doctrines, | 241-244 | |
Effect of Schleiermacher's Teaching, | 245, 246 | |
De Wette, | 246-249 | |
Neander, | 249-253 | |
His personal Appearance, | 253-254 | |
CHAPTER XI. | ||
THE REACTION PRODUCED BY STRAUSS' LIFE OF JESUS.—1835-1848. | ||
Hyper-criticism of the Rationalists, | 255, 256 | |
Influence of Schleiermacher and Hegel, | 256, 257 | |
The threefold Division of the Hegelian School, | 257, 258 | |
David Frederic Strauss, and his Life of Jesus, | 258-269 | |
Replies to the Life of Jesus: | ||
Harless, | 271 | |
Hoffman, | 271 | |
Neander, | 272 | |
Ullmann, | 273 | |
Schweizer, | 273 | |
Wilke, | 273 | |
Schaller, | 273 | |
Dorner, | 273, 274 | |
Literature occasioned by Strauss' Life of Jesus, | 274, 275 | |
Strauss' New Life of Jesus for the People, | 275-278 | |
The Tübingen School, conducted by Ferdinand Christian Baur, | 278-280 | |
The Influence of the French Revolution, | 280, 281 | |
Strauss' System of Doctrine, | 281, 282 | |
Feuerbach, | 282 | |
The Halle Year-Books, | 282, 283 | |
The "Friends of Light," | 283, 284 | |
The "Free Congregations," | 284, 285 | |
Rationalistic Leaders of the Revolution of 1848, | 285, 286 | |
Their Failure, and its Cause, | 286, 287 | |
CHAPTER XII. | ||
THE EVANGELICAL SCHOOL: ITS OPINIONS AND PRESENT PROSPECTS. | ||
The Mediation Theologians, or Evangelical School, grouped: | ||
Ullmann, | 288, 289 | |
Dorner, | 289-292 | |
Tholuck, | 292-295 | |
Lange, | 295, 296 | |
Twesten, | 297 | |
Nitzsch, | 297-299 | |
Rothe, | 299-303 | |
Schenkel—his recent Adoption of Rationalism, | 303-305 | |
Hengstenberg, | 305-307 | |
Theological Journals, | 307 | |
Improved Theological Instruction, | 307-310 | |
CHAPTER XIII. | ||
PRACTICAL MOVEMENTS INDICATING NEW LIFE. | ||
Charities of German Protestantism, | 311 | |
Relation of Philanthropy to Religious Life, | 312 | |
John Falk, | 312-316 | |
Theodore Fliedner, | 316-318 | |
Evangelical Church Diet, | 318-323 | |
Immanuel Wichern, | 324-329 | |
Louis Harms, | 329, 330 | |
The Gustavus Adolphus Union, | 330, 331 | |
CHAPTER XIV. | ||
HOLLAND: THEOLOGY AND RELIGION FROM THE SYNOD OF DORT TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE PRESENT CENTURY. | ||
Former Political Influence of Holland, | 332, 333 | |
Rise of Rationalism in Holland, | 333 | |
Influence of the Synod of Dort, | 334 | |
Corruption of Ethics, | 335 | |
Low state of Homiletic Literature, | 335, 336 | |
Cocceius, | 336-339 | |
Vœtius, | 339, 340 | |
Controversy between the Cocceians and Vœtians, | 340-343 | |
Favorable Influence of the Huguenot Immigrants, | 343, 344 | |
Popular Acquaintance with Theology, | 345, 346 | |
Bekker, | 347, 348 | |
Roell, | 348, 349 | |
Van Os, | 349 | |
Influence of English Deism, | 350-353 | |
Influence of French Skepticism, | 353, 354 | |
Napoleon Bonaparte's domination, | 354, 355 | |
CHAPTER XV. | ||
HOLLAND CONTINUED: THE NEW THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS, AND THE GREAT CONTROVERSY NOW PENDING BETWEEN ORTHODOXY AND RATIONALISM. | ||
The Political Subjugation of Holland, | 356 | |
Inactivity of Orthodoxy, | 356, 357 | |
Rupture produced by the New Hymn-Book, | 357, 358 | |
The Revival and the Secession: | ||
Bilderdyk, Da Costa, Capadose, Groen Van Prinsterer, | 359-361 | |
De Cock, the Leader of the Secession, | 362, 363 | |
Failure of the Secession, | 363, 364 | |
The Groningen School: | 364 | |
Its Characteristic, | 364 | |
Hofstede de Groot, and Pareau, | 365, 366 | |
Doctrines of the Groningens, | 366, 367 | |
The School of Leyden: | 367 | |
Scholten, | 368-371 | |
The School of Empirical-Modern Theology: | ||
Opzoomer, | 371 | |
Pierson, | 371-374 | |
Doctrines of this School, | 374, 375 | |
The Ethical Irenical School: | 375 | |
Chantepie de la Saussaye, | 375-377 | |
Van Oosterzee, | 377-379 | |
The Present Crisis and its Causes, | 381-383 | |
Increase of Evangelizing Agencies, | 383-385 | |
CHAPTER XVI. | ||
FRANCE: RATIONALISM IN THE PROTESTANT CHURCH—THE CRITICAL SCHOOL. | ||
Present Activity of Religious Thought in France, | 386, 387 | |
Coldness of Orthodoxy at the Commencement of the Nineteenth Century, | 387, 388 | |
Influence of Wesleyan Missionaries, | 388, 389 | |
Cartesianism and the Positive Philosophy, | 390 | |
Light French Literature, | 391 | |
The Critical School of Theology: | 391-394 | |
Réville, | 394-396 | |
Scherer, | 396-400 | |
Larroque, | 400 | |
Rougemont, | 400, 401 | |
Colani | 401, 402 | |
Pecaut, | 402, 403 | |
Grotz, | 403 | |
Renan, and his Life of Jesus, | 403-406 | |
A. Coquerel, jr., | 406-409 | |
Influence of French Skepticism upon the Young, | 409, 410 | |
CHAPTER XVII. | ||
FRANCE CONTINUED: EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY OPPOSING RATIONALISM. | ||
Agencies Opposing Rationalism, | 411 | |
De Pressensé, | 411-416 | |
Guizot, | 416-419 | |
Success of the Evangelical School, | 419-421 | |
Improvement of the French Protestant Church, | 422, 423 | |
Charitable and Evangelizing Societies, | 423, 424 | |
CHAPTER XVIII. | ||
SWITZERLAND: ORTHODOXY IN GENEVA, AND THE NEW SPECULATIVE RATIONALISM IN ZÜRICH. | ||
Prostration of the Swiss Church at the Commencement of the Nineteenth Century, | 425, 426 | |
Neglect of Theological Instruction, | 426, 427 | |
The Theological Academy in Geneva, | 428 | |
The Evangelical Dissenting Church, | 428 | |
Gaussen, | 428, 429 | |
Vinet, | 429 | |
Present Religious Condition of Geneva, | 429, 430 | |
Lectures in the Genevan Theological Academy, | 431, 432 | |
Religious Declension of Zürich, | 432 | |
Zürich the Centre of Swiss Rationalism: | 433-435 | |
The Speculative Rationalism: | ||
The Holy Scriptures, | 435 | |
Christ, | 435-437 | |
Sin, | 438 | |
Faith, | 438, 439 | |
German Switzerland influenced by German Theology, | 439 | |
CHAPTER XIX. | ||
ENGLAND: THE SOIL PREPARED FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF RATIONALISM. | ||
English Deism and German Rationalism Contrasted, | 440 | |
Literature of England in the Eighteenth Century, | 440, 441 | |
The Writers of that Period, | 441 | |
Influence of the French Spirit, | 441, 442 | |
Bolingbroke, | 442, 443 | |
Hume, | 444-447 | |
Gibbon, | 447, 448 | |
The moral Prostration of the Church, | 448-450 | |
Influence of the Wesleyan Movement, | 450-452 | |
CHAPTER XX. | ||
ENGLAND CONTINUED: PHILOSOPHICAL AND LITERARY RATIONALISM.—COLERIDGE AND CARLYLE. | ||
Compensations of History, | 453 | |
Rise of a Disposition in England to consult German Theology and Philosophy, | 453, 454 | |
Philosophical Rationalism: | ||
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, | 455-462 | |
Julius Charles Hare, | 462-465 | |
F. D. Maurice, | 465-468 | |
Charles Kingsley, | 468-471 | |
Literary Rationalism: | ||
Influence of Philosophy on Literature, | 472 | |
Thomas Carlyle, | 473-477 | |
The Westminster Review, | 477-480 | |
Necessity of active Protestantism, | 480 | |
CHAPTER XXI. | ||
ENGLAND CONTINUED: CRITICAL RATIONALISM—JOWETT, THE ESSAYS AND REVIEWS, AND COLENSO. | ||
Relation of the Bible to Christianity, | 481 | |
Critical Rationalism: | ||
Professor Jowett, | 481 | |
The "Essays and Reviews," | 482-497 | |
Judicial Proceedings against the Writers of that Work, | 497-499 | |
Criticism of Bishop Colenso, | 499-503 | |
Judicial Proceedings against Colenso, | 503-505 | |
CHAPTER XXII. | ||
ENGLAND CONTINUED: SURVEY OF CHURCH PARTIES. | ||
Unity of the Church of England, | 507 | |
The Evangelical and Sacramentalist Parties, | 507 | |
The Low Church: |
Cambridge University, | 508 | |
Activity of the Founders of the Low Church, | 508, 509 | |
Missionary Zeal, | 509, 510 | |
Parties in the Low Church, | 510 | |
The High Church: | ||
Rise of the Tractarian Movement, | 511, 512 | |
Doctrines of the High Church, | 512-515 | |
Service rendered by the High Church, | 515 | |
John H. Newman, | 516, 517 | |
Francis William Newman, | 517-519 | |
The First Broad Church: | ||
Indefiniteness of Creed, | 519, 520 | |
Thomas Arnold, | 520-523 | |
Arthur P. Stanley, | 523-529 | |
Doctrines of the First Broad Church, | 529, 530 | |
The Second Broad Church: | ||
Difference between the First and Second Broad Churches, | 530, 531 | |
Classification of Church Parties, | 531, 532 | |
Skepticism in various Sects, | 532, 533 | |
CHAPTER XXIII. | ||
THE UNITED STATES: THE UNITARIAN CHURCH.—THE UNIVERSALISTS. | ||
Novelty in American History, | 534 | |
Separation of Church and State, | 534-536 | |
Relations between the Old World and the United States, | 536, 537 | |
The Unitarian Church: | ||
The Venerable Stoddard, | 537, 538 | |
Jonathan Edwards, | 538 | |
The Half-Way Covenant, | 538 | |
James Freeman, | 538, 539 | |
Early Unitarian Publications, | 539, 540 | |
Unitarianism in Harvard University, | 540 | |
Andover Theological Seminary, | 540, 541 | |
Controversy between Channing and Worcester, | 541 | |
William Ellery Channing, | 541-544 | |
The Unitarian Creed, | 544-553 | |
The Christian Examiner, | 553 | |
The Young Men's Christian Union, | 553-558 | |
The Unitarian National Convention, | 558-560 | |
Present state of the Unitarian Church, | 560 | |
Universalism: | ||
Rise in America, | 560, 561 | |
Doctrines of Universalism, | 561, 562 | |
Present state of Universalism, | 562, 563 | |
CHAPTER XXIV. | ||
THE UNITED STATES CONTINUED: THEODORE PARKER AND HIS SCHOOL. | ||
Early Attachment of the Unitarians to the Doctrine of Miracles, | 564 | |
Theodore Parker: | ||
His Personal History, | 564, 565 | |
His Course toward Orthodoxy, | 566 | |
His Opinions, | 566-571 | |
Influence of American Skepticism, | 571, 572 | |
Frothingham's juvenile Work, | 572, 573 | |
"Liberal Christianity," | 573-575 | |
Duty of the American Church, | 575, 576 | |
CHAPTER XXV. | ||
INDIRECT SERVICE OF SKEPTICISM—PRESENT OUTLOOK. | ||
Great Success the Result of strong Opposition, | 577-579 | |
Biblical Study indirectly benefited by the Attacks of Rationalism, | 580, 581 | |
Improvement of Church History, | 581-583 | |
Estimate of the Life of Christ, | 583-586 | |
The Evangelical Church: | ||
Necessity of an impartial View of Science, | 586, 587 | |
The proper Way to combat Skepticism, | 587, 588 | |
Unity a Requisite of Success, | 588, 589 | |
APPENDIX. | ||
Literature of Rationalism: | ||
Germany, Holland, Switzerland, | 590-595 | |
Rationalistic Periodicals in Germany, | 595 | |
France, | 595-598 | |
Rationalistic Periodicals in France, | 598 | |
Great Britain and the United States, | 599-606 | |
Literature of Unitarianism and Universalism: | 606-609 | |
Unitarian Periodicals, | 609 | |
Universalist Periodicals, | 609-610 | |
Index, | 611-623 |
Rationalism is the most recent, but not the least violent and insidious, of all the developments of skepticism. We purpose to show its historical position, and to present, as faithfully as possible, its antagonism to evangelical Christianity. The guardians of the interests of the church cannot excuse themselves from effort toward the eradication of this error by saying that it is one which will soon decay by the force of its natural autumn. Posterity will not hesitate to charge us with gross negligence if we fail to appreciate the magnitude of Rationalism, and only deal with it as the growth of a day. We have half conquered an enemy when we have gained a full knowledge of his strength.
There was a time when Rationalism was a theme of interest to the Protestant church of Germany alone. But that day is now past. Having well nigh run its race in the land of Luther, it has crossed the Rhine into France and the Netherlands, invaded England, and now threatens the integrity of the domain of Anglo-Saxon theology. Thus it has assumed an importance which should not be overlooked by British and American thinkers who love those dearly-bought treasures of truth that they have received as a sacred legacy from the martyrs and reformers of the English church. The recent writings of the exegetical Rationalists of England are sufficient to induce us to gather up our armor and adjust it for immediate defence. Delay will entail evil. The reason why skepticism has wrought such fearful ravages at various stages during the career of the church has been the tardiness of the church in watching the sure and steady approach, and then in underrating the real strength of her adversary. The present History will be written for the specific purpose of awakening an interest in the danger that now threatens us. We have no ambition to deal with the past, further than to enable it to minister to the immediate demands of the present. We all belong to this generation; it calls for our energies; it has its great wants; and we shall be held justly responsible if we neglect to contribute our share toward the progress of our contemporaries.
The three principles which have influenced us to undertake a discussion of the present theme—and of the truth of which we are profoundly convinced—are the following:
I. That Infidelity presents a systematic and harmonious History. Our customary view of error is, that its history is disjointed, rendered so by the ardent, but unsteady, labors of the doubters of all periods since the origin of Christianity. We have ignored the historical movement of skepticism. Even the storms have their mysterious laws. The work of Satan is never planless. He adapts his measures to the new dangers that arise to threaten his dominion. The analogy between the Rationalism of to-day and the infidelity of past ages is so striking that we can with difficulty recognize the interval of centuries. We see the new faces, but the foes are old. Rationalism has repeatedly varied its method of attack; but if we follow the marches of its whole campaign we shall find that the enemy which stands at our fortress-gate with the Essays and Reviews and Notes on Pentateuch and Joshua in hand, is the same one that assailed Protestant Germany with the Accommodation-theory and the Wolfenbüttel Fragments.
II. A History of a mischievous Tendency is the very best Method for its Refutation and Extirpation. We can learn the full character of the good or evil of any abstract principle only by seeing its practical workings. The tree is known by its fruits. Rationalism may be of evil character, but we must see the results it has produced,—the great overthrow of faith it has effected, and its influence upon the pulpit and press of the countries invaded by it, before we can comprehend the vastness of our danger. An enumeration of the evil doings of a public enemy is the best plan to forestall his future misdeeds. We are not to judge Rationalism by its professions. The question is not, What does it wish? At what does it aim? or, What is its creed? But the true way to measure, understand, and judge it, is by answering the inquiry, What has it done? Its work must determine its character. This work has been most injurious to the faith and life of the church, and its deeds must therefore be its condemnation. There are those who say, "Tell us nothing about skepticism; we know too much about it already." Would it be a prudent request, if, before penetrating the jungles of Asia, we should say, "Tell us nothing of the habits of the lion"; or, before visiting a malarious region of Africa, we should beg of the physician not to inform us of the prevalent fever and its appropriate remedy? Forewarned is forearmed. We are surrounded by Rationalism in many phases; it comes to us in the periodical and the closely-printed volume. Even children are reading it in some shape or other. Shall we know its danger; then we must know its deeds.
III. Of Rationalism it may be affirmed, as of all the Phases of Infidelity, that it is not in its Results an unmixed Evil, since God overrules its Work for the Purification and Progress of his Church. A nation is never so pure as when emerging from the sevenfold-heated furnace. It was not before Manasseh was caught among thorns, bound with fetters, and carried to Babylon, that he "besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers;" nor was it before this humiliation that the Lord "brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom." The whole history of religious error shows that the church is cold, formal, and controversial before the visitation of skepticism. When every power is in full exercise, infidelity stands aloof. God has so provided for his people that he has even caused the delusion by which they have suffered to contribute great benefits but little anticipated by the deluded or the deluders themselves. The intellectual labors of the German Rationalists have already shed an incalculable degree of light on the sacred books, and upon almost every branch of theology. But thus has God ever caused the wrath of man to praise him.
Taking this view of the indirect benefits resulting from skepticism, we cannot lament, without an admixture of solace, that the path of Truth has always been rough. The Master, who declared himself "The Truth," premonished us by his own life that his doctrines were not destined to pervade the mind and heart of our race without encountering violent blows, and passing through whole winters of frost and storm. Many things attending the origin and planting of Christianity gave omen of antagonism to its claims in coming generations. Nor could it be expected that the unsanctified reason of man would accept as the only worthy guide of faith and life what Judaism, Paganism, and Philosophy had long since decidedly rejected. But the spirit of Christianity is so totally at variance with that of the world that it is vain to expect harmony between them. Truth, however, will not suffer on that account; and when the issues appear it will shine all the brighter for the fires through which it has passed. The country where Rationalism has exerted its first and chief influence is Germany, than which no nation of modern times has been more prospered or passed through deeper affliction. At one time she was the leader of religious liberty and truth, not only in Europe, but throughout the world. She was thirty years fighting the battles of Protestantism, but the end of the long conflict found her victorious. Since that day, however, she has lost her prestige of adherence to evangelical Christianity; and her representative theologians and thinkers have distorted the Bible which she was the very first to unseal. We rejoice that her condition is more hopeful to-day than it was twenty-five years ago; but recovery is not easy from a century-night of cold, repulsive Rationalism. As a large number of those stupendous battles that have decided the political and territorial condition of Europe have been fought on the narrow soil of Belgium, so has Germany been for ages the contested field on which were determined the great doctrinal and ecclesiastical questions of the European continent and of the world. Happily, the result has generally been favorable; and let no friend of evangelical truth fear that Rationalism will not meet its merited fate.
We must not imagine that, because the term Rationalism has been frequently employed within the last few years, it is of very recent origin either as a word or skeptical type. The Aristotelian Humanists of Helmstedt were called Rationalists in the beginning of the seventeenth century, and Comenius applied the same epithet to the Socinians in 1688.[1] It was a common word in England two hundred years ago. Nor was it imported into the English language from the German, either in a theological or a philosophical sense. There was a sect of Rationalists, in the time of the Commonwealth, who called themselves such exactly on the same grounds as their successors have done in recent years. Some one writing the news from London under date of October 14, 1646, says: "There is a new sect sprung up among them [the Presbyterians and Independents], and these are the Rationalists, and what their reason dictates them in church or state stands for good until they be convinced with better."[2] But Rationalists, in fact if not in name, existed on the Continent long anterior to this date. The Anti-Trinitarians, and Bodin, and Pucci were rigid disciples of Reason; and their tenets harmonize with those of a later day.[3]
In order to arrive at a proper definition of Rationalism we should consult those authors who have given no little attention to this department of theological inquiry. Nor would we be impartial if we adduced the language of one class to the exclusion of the other. We shall hear alike from the friends and adversaries of the whole movement, and endeavor to draw a proper conclusion from their united testimony. It was Selden's advice to the students of ecclesiastical history, "to study the exaggerated statements of Baronius on the one side, and of the Magdeburg Centuriators on the other, and be their own judges." Fortunately enough for a proper understanding of Rationalism, there is no such diversity of statement presented by our authorities. On the contrary, we shall perceive an unexpected and gratifying harmony.
In Wegscheider's Institutiones Dogmaticæ, a work which for nearly half a century has stood as an acknowledged and highly respected authority on the systematic theology of the Rationalists, we read language to this effect: "Since that doctrine (of supernaturalism) is encumbered with various difficulties, every day made more manifest by the advances of learning, especially historical, physical, and philosophical, there have been amongst more recent theologians and philosophers not a few who, in various ways, departing from it, thought it right to admit, even in the investigation and explanation of divine things, not only that formal use of human reason which regards only the method of expounding dogmas, but also the material use, by which the subject-matter of the particular doctrines is submitted to inquiry.
"Thus arose that of which the generic name is Rationalism, or that law or rule of thinking, intimately united with the cultivation of talent and mind, by which we think that as well in examining and judging of all things presented to us in life and the range of universal learning, as in those matters of most grave importance which relate to religion and morals, we must follow strenuously the norm of reason rightly applied, as of the highest faculty of the mind; which law of thinking and perceiving, if it be applied to prove any positive religion (theological Rationalism) lays it down as an axiom that religion is revealed to men in no other manner than that which is agreeable both to the nature of things and to reason, as the witness and interpreter of divine providence; and teaches that the subject-matter of every supposed supernatural revelation, is to be examined and judged according to the ideas regarding religion and morality, which we have formed in the mind by the help of reason.... Whosoever, therefore, despising that supremacy of human reason, maintains that the authority of a revelation, said to have been communicated to certain men in a supernatural manner, is such that it must be obeyed by all means, without any doubt,—that man takes away and overturns from the foundation the true nature and dignity of man, at the same time cherishes the most pernicious laziness and sloth, or stirs up the depraved errors of fanaticism.... As to that which is said to be above reason, the truth of which can by no means be understood, there is no possible way open to the human mind to demonstrate or affirm it; wherefore to acknowledge or affirm that which is thought to be above reason is rightly said to be against reason and contrary to it.
"The persuasion concerning the supernatural and miraculous, and at the same time immediate, revelation of God, cannot be reconciled with the idea of God eternal, always consistent with himself, omnipotent, omniscient, and most wise, by whose power, operative through all eternity and exerted in perfect harmony with the highest wisdom, we rightly teach that the whole nature of things exists and is preserved.... This being so, it seems that the natural revelation or manifestation of God, made by the works of nature, is the only one which can be rightly defended, and this may be divided into universal or common, and particular or singular. The universal indeed is affected by the natural faculties of the mind, and other helps of the universal nature of things, by which man is led to conceive and cultivate the knowledge of divine things. That we call particular and mediate, in a sense different from the elder writers, which is contained in the compass of things happening according to nature, by which, God being the author, some men are excited above others to attain the principles of true religion, and to impart with signal success those things, accommodated indeed to the desires of their countrymen, and sanctioned by some particular form of religious instruction. A revelation of this kind consists as well in singular gifts of genius and mind, with which the messenger, and, as it were, its interpreter, is perceived to be furnished, as in illustrious proofs of divine providence, conspicuous in his external life. But the more agreeably to the will of that same God he uses these helps to be ascribed to God, and full of a certain divine fervor, and excelling in zeal for virtue and piety, the more he scatters the seeds of a doctrine truly divine, i. e., true in itself, and worthy of God, and to be propagated by suitable institutions, the more truly will he flourish amongst other men with the authority of a divine teacher or ambassador. For as our mind partakes of the divine nature and disposition (2 Peter i. 4), so without the favor and help of the Deity it is not carried out to a more true species of religion.
"But whatever narrations especially accommodated to a certain age, and relating miracles and mysteries, are united with the history and subject-matter of revelation of this kind, these ought to be referred to the natural sources and true nature of human knowledge. By how much the more clearly the author of the Christian religion, not without the help of Deity, exhibited to men the idea of reason imbued with true religion, so as to represent as it were an apaugasma of the divine reason, or the divine spirit, by so much the more diligently ought man to strive to approach as nearly as possible to form that archetype in the mind, and to study to imitate it in life and manners to the utmost of his ability. Behold here the intimate and eternal union and agreement of Christianity with Rationalism."
Stäudlin, at first a Rationalist, but in later life more inclined to supernaturalism, says: "I do not now look to the various meanings in which the word Rationalism has been used. I understand by it here only generally the opinion that mankind are led by their reason and especially by the natural powers of their mind and soul, and by the observation of nature which surrounds them, to a true knowledge of divine and sensible things, and that reason has the highest authority and right of decision in matters of faith and morality, so that an edifice of faith and morals built on this foundation shall be called Rationalism. It still remains undecided whether this system declares that a supernatural revelation is impossible and ought to be rejected. That notion rather lies in the word Naturalism, which however is sometimes used as synonymous with Rationalism. It has been well said that Naturalism is distinguished from Rationalism by rejecting all and every revelation of God, especially any extraordinary one through certain men. This, however, is not the case with many persons called Naturalists both by themselves and others. Supernaturalism consists in general in the conviction that God has revealed himself supernaturally and immediately. What is revealed might perhaps be discovered by natural methods, but either not at all or very late by those to whom it is revealed. It may also be something which man could never have known by natural methods; and then arises the question, whether man is capable of such a revelation. The notion of a miracle cannot well be separated from such a revelation, whether it happens out of, on, or in men. What is revealed may belong to the order of nature, but an order higher and unknown to us, which we could never have known without miracles, and cannot bring under the law of nature."[4]
Professor Hahn, in speaking of the work just referred to, and of the subject in general, makes the following remarks: "In very recent times, during which Rationalism has excited so much attention, two persons especially, Bretschneider and Stäudlin, have endeavored to point out the historical use of the word, but both have failed. It is therefore worth while to examine the matter afresh. With respect to the Rationalists, they give out Rationalism as a very different matter from Naturalism. Röhr, the author of the Letters on Rationalism, chooses to understand by Naturalism only Materialism; and Wegscheider, only Pantheism. In this way those persons who have been usually reckoned the heads of the Naturalists; namely, Herbert, Tindal, and others; will be entirely separated from them, for they were far removed from Pantheism or Materialism. Bretschneider, who has set on foot the best inquiry on this point, says that the word Rationalism has been confused with the word Naturalism since the appearance of the Kantian philosophy, and that it was introduced into theology by Reinhard and Gabler. An accurate examination respecting these words gives the following results: The word Naturalism arose first in the sixteenth century, and was spread in the seventeenth. It was understood to include those who allowed no other knowledge of religion except the natural, which man could shape out of his own strength, and consequently excluded all supernatural revelation. As to the different forms of Naturalism, theologians say there are three; the first, which they call Pelagianism, and which considers human dispositions and notions as perfectly pure and clear by themselves, and the religious knowledge derived from them as sufficiently explicit. A grosser kind denies all particular revelation; and the grossest of all considers the world as God. As to Rationalism, this word was used in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries by those who considered reason as the source and norm of faith. Amos Comenius seems first to have used this word in 1661, and it never had a good sense. In the eighteenth century it was applied to those who were in earlier times called by the name of Naturalist."[5]
Of all writers on the subject of Rationalism we give the palm of excellence to the devout and learned Hugh James Rose, of Cambridge University. As far as we know he was the first to expose to the English-speaking world the sad state to which this form of skepticism had reduced Germany. Having visited that country in 1824, he delivered four discourses on the subject before the university, which were afterward published under the title of The State of Protestantism in Germany. Thus far, in spite of the new works which may have appeared, this account of Rationalism has not been superseded. We shall have occasion more than once to refer to its interesting pages. Of Rationalism he says:
"The word has been used in Germany in various senses, and has been made to embrace alike those who positively reject all revelation and those who profess to receive it. I am inclined, however, to believe that the distinction between Naturalists and Rationalists is not quite so wide, either, as it would appear to be at first sight, or as one of them assuredly wishes it to appear. For if I receive a system, be it of religion, of morals, or of politics, only so far as it approve itself to my reason, whatever be the authority that presents it to me, it is idle to say that I receive the system out of any respect to that authority. I receive it only because my reason approves it, and I should of course do so if an authority of far inferior value were to present the system to me. This is what that division of Rationalists, which professes to receive Christianity and at the same time to make reason the supreme arbiter in matters of faith, has done. Their system, in a word, is this: they assume certain general principles, which they 'maintain to be the necessary deductions of reason from an extended and unprejudiced contemplation of the natural and moral order of things, and to be in themselves immutable and universal. Consequently anything which, on however good authority, may be advanced in apparent opposition to them must either be rejected as unworthy of rational belief, or at least explained away, till it is made to accord with the assumed principles,—and the truth or falsehood of all doctrines proposed is to be decided according to their agreement or disagreement with those principles.' When Christianity, then, is presented to them, they inquire what there is in it which agrees with their assumed principles, and whatsoever does so agree, they receive as true. But whatever is true comes from God, and consequently all of Christianity which they admit to be true, they hold to be divine.
"'Those who are generally termed Rationalists,' says Dr. Bretschneider, 'admit universally, in Christianity, a divine, benevolent, and positive appointment for the good of mankind, and Jesus as a Messenger of divine Providence, believing that the true and everlasting word of God is contained in the Holy Scripture, and that by the same the welfare of mankind will be obtained and extended. But they deny therein a supernatural and miraculous working of God, and consider the object of Christianity to be that of introducing into the world such a religion as reason can comprehend; and they distinguish the essential from the unessential, and what is local and temporary from that which is universal and permanent in Christianity.' There is, however, a third class of divines, which in fact differs very little from this, though very widely in profession. They affect to allow 'a revealing operation of God,' but establish on internal proofs rather than on miracles the divine nature of Christianity. They allow that revelation may contain much out of the power of reason to explain, but say that it should assert nothing contrary to reason, but rather what may be proved by it. This sounds better, but they who are acquainted with the writings of the persons thus described, know that by establishing Christianity on internal proofs, they only mean the accepting those doctrines which they like, and which seem to them reasonable, and that though they allow in theory that revelation may contain what are technically called much above reason, yet in practice they reject the positive doctrines of Christianity (I mean especially the doctrines of the Trinity, the Atonement, the Mediation and Intercession of our Lord, Original Sin, and Justification by Faith), because they allege that those doctrines are contrary to reason. The difference between them and the others is therefore simply this, that while the others set no limits at all to the powers of reason in matters of faith, they set such a limit in theory but not in practice, and consequently cannot justly demand to be separated from the others."[6]
One of the ablest advocates of Supernaturalism among English divines is the late Dr. A. McCaul, of London. He joins issue successfully with the Rationalists. We quote a specimen of his method of argument. His definition of Rationalism is beautifully lucid and logical. He says:
"This doctrine then plainly denies the existence and the possibility of a supernatural and immediate revelation from the Almighty, and maintains that to claim supreme authority for any supposed supernatural religion is degrading to the dignity and the nature of man. It enters into direct conflict with the statements of the Old Testament writers, who clearly and unmistakably assert the existence of a divine communication which is called 'The law of the Lord,' 'The law of his mouth,' 'The testimony of God,' 'The saying of God,' 'The word of the Lord,' 'The word that goeth forth out of his mouth,' 'The judgment of the Lord,' 'The commandment of the Lord.'
"Now it is not intended to strain the allusion to the mouth or lips of the Lord beyond that which the figure may fairly bear. But the expression does certainly mean that there is some direct, immediate, and therefore supernatural communication from the great Creator of all things. The writers who used these expressions did not mean that as reason is given by God, so whatever reason may excogitate is the word of God. They would not have used these expressions concerning Truth that may be found in heathen writers. They believed and recorded that God had manifested himself audibly to the ears, and visibly to the eyes of men. They did not therefore hold the doctrine that supernatural revelation is impossible, or derogatory to reason or inconsistent with the nature and attributes of Him who is eternal.