Liberal Theology in Congregationalism
REV. GEO. A. GORDAN was last month installed as pastor of the Old South Congregational Church, Boston. He has the reputation of being quite a scholar; but his tastes run more to philosophy than to religion. Concerning his theological views, as drawn out by his examination, the Christian at Work says: 'His position is openly opposed to anything like a propitiatory element in the atonement. All the examiners could do, he would not consent to say more. On the question of continued punishment in the world to come, he would as the utmost utterance say there is a 'clear possibility.' But more than a possibility he would not admit. Whether people who do not repent in this world will in the next, he would express no opinion. As to any supreme spirit of evil called Satan, he did not believe there was one.' Thus it appears that his theology is chiefly one of negations and ignorance. Yet when some of the council opposed his installation, Professor Tucker, of Andover, in favoring the candidate, asked them to determine then and there whether there is room in the Congregational Churches for such a man; or whether they would reject him and drive him into the Unitarian denomination. This decided the question, and he was accepted. It would seem that there was room in the Congregational Churches for anybody, if he is only brilliant, and doesn't know too much about the Bible.