WHAT MODERN THEOLOGY MAKES OF THE BIBLE.
The Literary Digest of May 21 puts the title above in the form of a question, and then gives the answer in the words of Professor Lobstein, of the University of Strasburg, whom the Digest calls “a leading representative of modern theology.” He tells us in so many words that the modern method of Biblical interpretation, which he calls the “historical method” is based upon ideas that are in deadly hostility to the old theory of inspiration, or, in fact, to any divine inspiration, demanding that the books of the Bible be judged by exactly the same literary and historical rules and canons that obtain in the investigations of any of the literary remains of antiquity. That is, the Bible is to be treated and regarded exactly as we would regard Herodotus, Tacitus, Pliny, or any other heathen writer. One of the results of this is that— these writings [the Scriptures] themselves, as well as the persons and the events therein described, become decidedly more human, and that the difference that has all along been thought to exist between Biblical and secular history now practically disappears. And this method utterly destroys Christian fundamentals; for instance, we are told that— It is now seen that the claim that Jesus was born of a virgin has no right to be regarded as one of the fundamentals of Christian faith. The resurrection of Jesus is “beyond solution,” and “the same is also true concerning the sacrificial value of the death of Christ.” Yet we are told that this does not destroy “religious faith.” Another modern theologian, Professor Bousset, is quoted as saying in an address that— we can speak of the divinity of Christ only in a modified sense, and the Pauline doctrine of atonement does not represent the original faith of Christianity. What the result of this modern method of modern theology is, Prof. Goldwin Smith has told us in an article in the North American Review for May, on the “Immortality of the Soul.” He says:— It would seem that we have come practically to a point at which, evolution and the higher criticism having between them done the work of demolition; and the work of reconstruction, if it is ever to be done, being still in the future, no small part of educated mankind has renounced, or is gradually renouncing, the hope of a future life, and acting on the belief that death ends all. Modern theology leaves the dark world with no sure guide, leaves the sick and sinful soul without a Saviour, the future as uncertain as their own voices and theories. Yet men will have religion of some sort, and Protestantism having proved false to its Standard, those who would believe in something turn to the Roman Catholic Church. Professor Smith says:— It would not be surprising if in this dissolution of the ancient faith and failure of familiar supports, there were to be a partial reaction in favor of churches which, like the Roman Catholic or the Eastern church, can pretend to offer the assurance of authority and to still the disquieting voice of reason while they lap the disturbed soul in the soothing element of religious esthetics. A tendency of this kind is already seen in ritualism, which bids the doubting take refuge in the sacerdotalism and sacramentalism of the Middle Ages. And the “more sure word of prophecy” teaches the same thing. Revelation 18, as well as chapters 13 and 17, declare that all the world will drink of the wine of Rome’s fornication, and will perish at last in her corruption, or heed God’s call to “come out of her” and stand on the basis of the inspired Word of God, despite the criticism of modern theologians. God’s Book will stand. “Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Rev. 3:10. “The wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Dan. 12:10. “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away; but the word of the Lord endureth forever.” 1 Peter 1:24, 25. “The flesh profiteth nothing; the words which I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63.