The origin and propagation of sin; being the Hulsean Lectures delivered before the University of Cambridge in 1901-1902

Front matter

CORNELL

UNIVERSITY

LIBRARY

Preface

rilHE present work practically consists of four lectures which I had the honour to deliver before the University of Cambridge. They have been made rather more suitable for publication by such expansion as was necessary for clearness of expression, and by the addition of a few appended notes.

It was my original intention to incorporate the substance of these lectures in a larger work dealing for the most part with the early history of the development of the doctrines of the Fall of man and of original sin. When the end of that work was beginning to come in sight, however, circumstances necessitated considerable delay before it could be carried to completion. I therefore decided to publish the smaller portion of my material first ; and this plan was the more readily adopted for the reason that the lectures, being of a critical and speculative nature, were easily and naturally separable from the matter furnished by a historical investigation. It is inevitable that the results of the historical study are sometimes presupposed in the addresses contained in this volume, but I hope to

Vlll PREFACE.

submit them also to the reader who may be interested in the subject before many months have elapsed. Until this can be done the argument of the present work will lack a very necessary supplement. For it is such a historical study of the development of the doctrines here examined, such a taking of them to pieces, as it were, to show the nature of their material and the processes by which they have been constructed, that furnishes one of the best criterions of their validity and finality.

Meanwhile I attempt to supply a criticism of the implications of a traditional doctrine, and a restatement of so much of its essential meaning as can be retained, rather than a commentary upon it ; and, in doing so, to offer a small contribution to Inductive and Critical Theology. It is hoped that some little service may be thereby rendered in meeting an increasing, if a silent, demand from persons who approach theological literature from the point of view of Natural Science or Philosophy.

It is made sufficiently plain in the course of the lectures that the repudiation of the doctrine of original sin is not new to Christian Theology, and that in some features of the reconstruction which they endeavour to supply I have already been anticipated.

It can scarcely be hoped that the change of view

PREFACE. IX

advocated in this book will be at once produced in those of its readers to whom the appeal may present itself with some abruptness. It can well be understood that the consequences of the new standpoint will prove, in many cases, a greater obstacle to its acceptance than the lack of cogency or persuasiveness with which the argument is presented. One may safely assume, however, that the evidence for the necessity of a restatement, and not the consequences thereof, will be allowed to be the only ground upon which the reader's judgment will be based. And if that evidence be insufficient, or its manipulation be fallacious, it can only be hoped that the book may be found worthy of the attention of those competent to expose its errors.

My indebtedness to previous writers is, I trust, sufficiently acknowledged in the places where I have relied upon their help. I have to thank the Editor of the Church Quarterly Review for kindly allowing me to reproduce in Lecture IV. some sentences which occur in an article previously contributed to his journal. The index of authors to whom reference is made in the book, and the revision of the proof-sheets, I owe to ever ready help at home.

F. R. TENNANT.

Cambridge, April, 1902.

Contents

PAGE

Preface vii

Contents . . . xi

II

The Problem op the Origin and Propagation op Sin : its treatment in philosophical speculation.

The theological doctrine really speculative

Although considered apart from Philosophy ....

The philosophical standpoint

History of the treatment of our problem by the Cartesian

School . .

By Malebranche

„ Kant

,, Julius Miiller

Development of the theory of Eadical Evil by S. T

. Coleridge

By Schelling and Schopenhauer

The Problem of Sin in Hegel

,, „ Lotze

,, „ Schleiermacher .

Eitschl

Summary and conclusion ....

CONTENTS.

XIU

III

The Problem op the Origin and Propagation of Sin : its treatment in empirical science and evolutionary

The problem hitherto intractable Where Eeconstruotion is necessary Suggestions of Archdeacon Wilson ,, „ Prof. 0. Pfleiderer .

I. The Origin of Sin in the Race .

Man an evolved being

Morality gradually developed .

Evolution of conscience .

The fovies peccati natural and normal

II. The Origin of Sin in the Individual The Psychology of Infancy Its negation of original sin Our so-called ' propensities to evil ' natural, non-moral

and neutral .....

And therefore not of the nature of sin . Moral evil non-existent before conscience Conscience and morality derived from social environment Prof. Baldwin's account of their growth . The real nature of sin .

Its universality accounted for .

Sin thus explained and not explained away The old antinomy at last transcended

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85 86 87 88 92

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