An outline of Christian theology

Front matter

|h!I! ilifjll i!

BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE

SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND

Introduction

PAGE

Religion and Theology i

Religion. — Theology as related to Religion. — The Christian Religion and its Theology. — Christian and non-Christian Theologies.

— Revelation i-io

The Sources of Christian Theology lo

I. The Christian Revelation as a Source of Theology 12

Made in life and action 13-J6

Preserved,

In the Religious Life that sprang from it. — The service rendered

by Christian Experience 16-22

In the Scriptures. — The collection, the authorship, the date and the spiritual quality of the Scriptures. — The Scriptures as various, progressive, free. — The Inspiration of the Scriptures. — The Authority of the Scriptures. — The use of the Scriptures in

Theology 22-47

XL Sources for Theology outside the Christian Revelation 47

Man. — The Universe interpreted by Science, and by Philosophy. 47-53

Qualifications for the Study of Christian Theology 53

Intellectual Qualifications. — Qualifications in Spirit and Temper

of Mind. — Qualifications byway of Knowledge S3-'^7

General Method of Study 58-62

Terminology and Order of Treatment 62

PART I. GOD. The Christian Conception of God 63

;. The Definition of God 64

The Nature of God. — The Character of God. — The Relation

of God to other Existence. — The Motive of God 64-7 5

!. The Attributes of God 75

Defined. — Distinguished from his Being. — How learned. — How classified. — Omnipresence. — Omniscience. — Omnipotence. — Immutability. — Ploliness. — • Love. — Holiness and Love. — Wisdom , 75-102

VI CONTENTS

PAGE

II. The Existence of God 102

Introductory Statements 102-105

T. Evidence from the Intellectual starting-point. — Through the

intelligibleness of the Universe to us. — Through the idea of Cause. — Through the presence of Ends in the Universe 105-118

2. Evidence from the Religious starting-point. — Through the religious Nature of Man. — Through the great Dilemma, a good God or a bad one. — Through the spiritual Experience of Men 1 18-126

Objections 1 26-1 28

III. The Relation of God to the Universe 128

As the Source of the Universe. — As a free Spirit. — As to his uniform method. — As to his spiritual purpose. — As to his right

of control. — As to his exercise of control. — As to his attitude, as Father and Servant. — As to his moral government. — As to predestination. — As to his Providence. — As to the existence of Evil. — The relation of the Universe to God 128-161

IV. The Divine Trinity and Triunity 161

I. The Trinity, or the Threefold Self-Manifestation of God. — The

One God. — Jesus Christ the Son of God. — The Holy

;:. The Triunity, or God's Triune Mode of Existence. — The material in the New Testament. — The unfolding of the doctrine. — Statements on the meaning of terms. — Definition of Triunity.— Explanation from the nature of Self-Consciousness. — Comments on this explanation. — Relation of Trinity and Triunity to Christianity » 165-181

PART 11. MAN.

I. The Human Constitution of Body and Spirit 182

"Soul" and " Spirit." — The Human Body. — The Human Spirit and Personality. — The distinctive mark of Man, in contrast to animals. — The likeness of God in Man. — The Immortality of Man 182-198

II. Man as a Moral Being 198

Conscience. — Obligation. — The Ground of Obligation. — The Standard of Obligation. — The Will.- The Freedom of the Will 198-215

in. The Relation of the Individual to the Human Race 215

Theories of Pre-existence, Immediate Creation, and Transmission of Life. — Influence of the Race upon the Individual through inheritance, and through relations 215-221

IV. The Origin of the Human Race 222

Remanded to the appropriate Sciences 222-226

CONTENTS Vll

Part III. Sin. Page

I. The Reality of Sin 227

Testimony of the Christian Revelation, of the common moral judgment, and of observed facts 227-231

II. The Nature of Sin 231

1. Insufficient explanations of Sin. — As dominion of Body over Spirit. — As blameless incident of growth 23T-233

2. The determinative Quality of Sin. — Five views of Sin, with definition 233-239

III. Sin in Relation to the Human Race 239

The entrance of Sin to the Human Race. — The peri^etuation of Sin in the Human Race. — Depravity , 239-245

IV. Sin in Relation to the Individual before God 245

The Nature of Guilt.— The Nature of Penalty. — The Nature of Forgiveness. — The Attitude of God toward Sinful Men 246-259

Part IV. Christ

Introductory. The Place of Christ in History 260

I. The Recorded Facts concerning Christ. — The Sources 261

1. The most important Events in the Life of Christ. — A miraculous Birth. — A human Life. — A unique relation to God. — A Ministry of usefulness. — Teaching. — Miracles. — Rejection by Israel. — Death. — Resurrection. — The Record of a sinless Life 263-276

2. The Purpose of Christ's Mission in the Gospels. — Statements

of the Synoptics. — Statements of the Fourth Gospel 276-280

3. The Result of Christ's Mission, in the later Scriptures 280-284

II. The Person of Christ 285

1. The Incarnation in the New Testament 286-290

2. The Possibility of the Incarnation 290-297

3. The Person that resulted from the Incarnation 297-302

4. The Place of the Incarnation in the Plan of God 302-304

III. The Unity of Christ with God and with the Human Race 305

A Vital Relation on both sides. — Son of God. — Son of Man. .305-30S Consequences of Christ's vital Oneness with God and Man, — Revelation of God, and of Man, in him. — Sympathy on his part with God, and with Men. — Reconciliation between God and Men, — Names of the Work of Christ. — Theories of the Work of Christ 308-321

IV. The Reconciliation of God and Men in Christ 321

I. The Conditions of this Reconciliation. — As to its Personal

Nature. — As to the willingness of the parties. — As to the claims

of Law. — As to the necessity for Punishment 321-332 viii CONTENTS

PAGE

2. The Work of Christ in effecting this Reconciliation 332

Preparatory Statements. — The Work of Christ in the light of his Person. — The Work of Christ as a work of God acting simply in free Grace. — The Work of Christ as a direct and vital means of Reconciliation, rather than a transactional basis for it 332-339

The action of God in Christ was self-expression with reference to Sin. — Expression of God as hating Sin, as Saviour to sinners, and as the great Sin-bearer. — Redemptive Suffering in God, and in Christ 339-347

The Object of God in this self-expression. — To win Men, and to satisfy God himself. — Propitiation 347-349

Tlie self-expression of God as made within humanity. — The human joined with the divine in seeking reconciliation. — Vicariousness. — The New Humanity established in Christ, wherein Men are reconciled to God. — This Humanity redemptive.. . .349-360

The Outcome of the Work of Christ. — How God thinks of the World. — How God thinks of Men who are in Christ. — Plow

Men should think of God 360-362

V. The Present Activity of Christ 362

As King. — As Priest 365-367

Part V. The Holy Spirit And The Divine Life In Man

I. What is meant by the Holy Spirit 369

II. The Holy Spirit in relation to the Work of Christ 373

The Promise of the Paraclete 373-376

III. The Work of the Holy Spirit in the World 376

The Convincing of the Spirit. — The Extent of this Work 376-381

IV. The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Church 381

The Church. — The work of Reminding. — The work of Guidance 381-385

V. The Work of the Ploly Spirit in Individuals 386

1. The Nature of the Divine Life in Man. — Holy Love, to God, and to Men 386-389

2. The Freeness of the Divine Life. — The meaning of God's Election 389-395

3. The Beginning of the Divine Life. — Regeneration. — Antecedents to Regeneration. — Repentance. — Faith. — Justification . 395-409

4. The Progress of the Divine Life. — Santification. — Helps to the Divine Life. — Prayer. — The Length of the Process of Sanctification 409-418

5. The Permanence of the Divine Life. — - Two doctrines on the subject. — Statements presenting the case 41S-424

VI. A Group of the Holy Spirit's Works 424

Gifts in the Apostolic Age. — Inspiration. — Revivals of Religion 4-4-427

CONTENTS IX

PART VL THINGS TO COME.

PAGE

I. Things to come In this World 428

i. The Conditions of Study. — Ignorance of the future. — Absence of Revelation 428-436

^. The Second Coming of Christ. — Christ's Predictions of his Coming. — How they were understood. — How they were fulfilled. — Summary of the Scriptural view. — Questions that remain unanswered 436-448

II. Things to come Beyond this World 44S

Death, and the Continuance of the Spirit. — Annihilation. — Conditional Immortality. — Resurrection. — Judgment. — The Life Beyond.— A Life of Moral Action. — Infants in that Life. — Two Moral States in that Life. — The question of Unchangeableness. — The question of the aim of Retribution. — Dangers and safeguards

in present thought 449-4S0

Conclusion 481-482

AN OUTLINE

OF

CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

RELIGION AND THEOLOGY

Religion. — Theology is preceded by religion, as botany by the life of plants. Religion is the reality of which theology is the study.

Rehgion is the life of man in his superhuman relations; that is, in his relation to the Power that produced him, the Authority that is over him, and the unseen Being with whom he is capable of communion. This unseen Being, this Authority, and this Power are one, in the good God and Father whom it is eternal life to know ; but this is a last religious truth for man, rather than a first, and until this comes religion is incomplete, one-sided, and more or less misleading. But religion is always the life and experience of man as a being who is dependent upon power, answerable to authority, and adapted to commune with unseen, spiritual reality.

Religion is grounded in the constitution of man, for man possesses a religious nature. That is to say, man is a dependent being, related to a Power above him ; a responsible being, answerable to an Authority over him ; and a spirit, adapted to acquaintance and fellowship with God. This religious nature bears fruit in human life. It is accordant with man's constitution that he should be appealing to an unseen Power, bowing to an unseen Authority, or seeking an invisible fellowship; or that he should have a religion that combines all these forms of action. Religion is natural to man.

Being natural to man, religion is universal among men. Exceptions to its universality are sometimes claimed, but if they exist at all they are of such nature as really to establish the rule. In the lowest races of men religion is rudimentary and crude, and so low in grade or so concealed that perhaps a stranger may scarcely recognize it. Nevertheless even here the essential elements are present, and man as man is a religious being.

Conceivably, religion may be simply a reaching-forth on the part of man ; for by an inward necessity man does reach forth to the realities with which religion is concerned, whether he has definite knowledge of God or not. He forms such conceptions of the Power above him as he can, and performs such acts of worship as he feels to be appropriate. But so far as religion becomes a vital and uplifting experience, it becomes such because the living God himself meets the religious nature of man and manifests himself to it, according to man's ability to receive him. God is real, and is nearer to men than they can know while they are groping after him (Acts xvii. 24-28). The universal prevalence of worship, however imperfect, means that there is One above.

Religion is a function of the invisible and spiritual part of man; not of the visible and mortal part, but of that unseen part in which resides the ability to think, to feel, and to will. It is especially a function of the heart, the affectional nature. Religious experience results in the development of the spiritual nature of man, bringing it to the highest quality in affection, aspiration, and action. This spiritual nature receives development in the common experiences of life, but the religious experience brings it to its true place as the crown of humanity. It is from the best development of this spiritual nature that man obtains his best consciousness of immortality.

Religion includes worship, trust, and self-surrender, and finds expression in prayer, because it looks up to a higher power and seeks a higher fellowship. It includes morality, gives law to conduct, and induces penitence

RELIGION AND THhOLOGY 3

and obedience, because it looks up to a higher authority. Faith and duty both lie within its domain. But the great vitalizing element that gives power to both faith and duty is the living God with his personahty and character, and the possibility of holding actual communion with him. The glory of religion lies in the reality of the good God.

Religion is a source of institutions as well as a life of the soul, and results in the existence of religions. A religion is a system of thought, feeling, acts, and institutions that has grown up among men to express and represent their religious life. Thus the ancient religion of India grew up with its doctrines, devotions, and institutions, gathering into a unity the expression of the general religious life. The religious ideas of Mohammed, combining with those of his countrymen, grew to a great system known as Islam. Both are religions. Christianity is a religion also, appealing to the same elements in human nature as the others, but appealing with a fulness of truth and power peculiar to itself.

A religion is true so far as it embodies true conceptions of God and the relations of men to him. The great religions of the world are not false, in the sense of being the fruit of imposture, or of intending to deceive men. Probably no rehgion that took a strong and lasting hold upon great masses of mankind was ever founded by an impostor. Great religions are works of sincerity, not of fraud, though doubtless fraud may sometimes be found in connection with them all. All the great religions contain some truth concerning religion. But the various rehgions of the world have not attained to truth, that is, to accordance with reality, in their conceptions of God and the relations of men to him, and in this fundamental sense they are not true religions. They more or less mislead the religious nature of man while they attempt to satisfy it. Christianity claims to be the true religion, in the sense that it correctly sets forth the real God, and rightly declares the relations of men to him.

Theology as Related to Religion. — Intellectual attention to religion results in theology, which is the unfolding and exposition of the conceptions that enter into religion. Religion is a life, a spiritual experience in which the affections and the will are active and the whole man is involved : theology is the intellectual presentation of the subject-matter of religion.

The intellectual unfolding of a great experience like religion is a necessity of the mind. Hence every religion has its theology. A religion may be so crude that it can suggest only the rudiments of a theology, but the fetichworshipper's reason for his worship is a theology, nevertheless. Hinduism, Buddhism, Mohammedanism, have their theologies, partly historical and partly mythical, partly representative of their best thought and partly fantastic ; and within each of the ancient religions there are various schools of theology, differing as widely as the schools that exist within Christianity. Everywhere theologies differ with difference of mind, experience, and education, but theology is the inseparable companion of religion.

Is theology the science of reHgion ? We might truly answer Yes; but the name has been appropriated to another study, and clearness may be best served if theology resign it.

But in resigning this name we do not resign the claim that theology is essentially a scientific study. The name indeed is a true and appropriate one. Theology is the study of religion and of nothing else, and thus its field possesses such unity as a science requires. Its work is the investigation and classification of facts, it employs both the inductive and the deductive method, and it seeks to hold whatever is legitimately ascertained and nothing more. Thus as to field and methods it is related to its material, the facts of religion, much as botany is related to the facts of plant-life, or astronomy to the facts of celestial matter and motion, and ranks with them among sciences. It is no objection that the facts with which it is concerned

RELIGION AND THEOLOGY 5 have not all been ascertained, for that is the case with all sciences. Theology claims that its facts are ascertainable in a reasonable degree, and capable of scientific treatment. Facts in the spiritual world may be as ascertainable as facts in the physical world : it certainly is unscientific to assume the contrary, or to insist that even facts concerning God are essentially beyond ascertainment. Some such facts may become thoroughly known. Nor can it fairly be claimed that the facts of religion are incapable of scientific treatment. They may at least be treated with that candor and impartiality which science often claims as its own, and they may be subjected to investigation and classification in the truly scientific spirit.

The recognition of theology as the science of religion, whether we use the name or resign it for use in another field, has this practical value, that it limits the field and scope of our study. Theology thus deals only with the realities that make up religion, and with them only as they enter into religion. Its aim is practical; it is the servant of the religious life. It does not philosophize for the sake of philosophizing. As the science of religion, it seeks to discover and make known the true, rational, abiding foundation of real and eternal religious life for man, and thus to promote such life. This alone is the object in the present course of study.

The Christian Religion and its Theology. — Christianity is a religion, inasmuch as it is one of the forms taken by the life of man in his relations with God. It differs from other religions in this, that its conception of God and of man's relation to him, and its impulse and power for the religious life, are derived from a self-revelation of God in human history, which culminated in Jesus Christ; and that it is under the influence of that revelation that the Christian religious life is lived. Nineteen centuries ago a certain part of mankind began to live the rehgious life under the influence of Jesus Christ. From him came fresh views of God in his character and relations with men,

6 AA^ OUl'LI.VE OF CHRISriAiY THEOLOGY

and new power to live in holy fellowship with him. Christ opened to men new possibility of fulfilling the idea of religion ; and after him the life of religion was more true to reality and more satisfactory in experience. The life, thought, feeling, and institutions that have resulted from his influence upon the religious life of mankind constitute the Christian religion, or Christianity.

Christian Theology is the intellectual treatment of the Christian rehgion. Defined most broadly. Christian theology includes three parts ; but only the third of these is commonly assigned to the department of Christian theology in theological seminaries, while the first and second are considered in other departments.

1. Christian theology properly includes the evidences of Christianity, or rather the evidences of the Christian revelation; the showing that in Christ God has manifested himself to men, in order that they may know him and be blessed in the knowledge.

2. Christian theology includes the examination of the contents of this revelation, in order to learn what it is that has thus been made known. This is the work of Biblical exegesis, or interpretation, with its companion study of Biblical introduction; and of Biblical theology, in which the doctrinal contents of the Scriptures are exegetically ascertained and historically grouped, according to author, topic, and stage in the progress of revelation.

3. The main work of a department of Christian theology is to present the Christian doctrine, grounded in the Scriptures, in the form to which historical development has brought it, and to study the facts of religion in the light of the Christian revelation. Among the many views that may be taken of God and man, good and evil, duty, life, and destiny, there is a Christian view, obtained mainly by means of Christ; and Christian theology aims to present that view in systematic order and proportion. Its great themes are, God as Christ has made him known, and man, sin, salvation, duty, life, and destiny, in the light of Christ's revelation.

RELIGION AND THEOLOGY

Christian and Non-Christian Theologies. — Since

religion has to do with certain human relations, theologymust treat of certain corresponding topics. Since these relations are universal, theology finds the same fields of inquiry inviting its work in all religions. The experience of man as a religious being opens to him certain questions, which thus become the questions of theology. What is man himself; whence came he; and what is the meaning of his life? Whence came the world in which he finds himself; and what is the meaning of the great mass and order of things by which he is surrounded? What is that higher Power in which he instinctively believes? Is it one, or many; and how is it related to the world and to man himself? What are right and wrong? What is the significance of the evil that rnan does; and what must be its effect upon him? Can sin be forgiven; and if so, on what grounds, and by what means? Can man be made right in character; and if so, how? Will he live after death; and if so, in what state of being? What is the principle of human duty; and how shall man fulfil his destiny? These are the practical questions of universal religion ; these therefore are the problems of universal theology. The guesses, legends, and traditions that accompany the religions of the world are fruits of the universal effort to answer these questions, and the nobler elements in all theologies are steps toward explanation of these ancient and universal mysteries.

Christian theology enters no field that has not been entered by other theologies. It meets the old religious questions of humanity, but meets them with new light. Its themes are as old as man, but the grace and truth in the light of which it treats them came through Jesus Christ. The new light brings help for the old hard places, and new solutions of the ancient problems: so that Christianity differs from other religions, and Christian theology from other theologies, by possessing fresh experience and knowledge, richer than any other that men have known, upon the great themes of universal interest.

8 AN OUTLINE OF CtTRISTIAN THEOLOGY

Though Christian theology thus possesses the best Hght in the world, it should not be contemptuous toward other religions, or rule them out as containing nothing valuable. Christians should view such religions, not with contempt, but with generous and compassionate consideration. The necessity for religion is innate in man, and the capacity for religion created in him has never been wholly lost or become inoperative. Nor have the great religions of the non-Christian world grown up unknown to God or unwatched by him. They embody the genuine religious experiences of humanity, and express its real aspirations toward God, and contain at least such truth as groping after God can find. More than this is true. Since Christianity teaches us that God is near to his world, and earnestly desires his creatures to find him when they feel after him, we are sure that in the great religions there must be some truth that has come by spiritual impartation from himself. The knowledge that they contain is partial, one-sided, and often misleading, as it stands in human apprehension, but it is not blank ignorance. In all the great non-Christian religions there are expressions of holy aspiration, or of love and adoration toward a good God, that are worthy utterances of rehgion, and closely akin to Christianity. There is something profoundly touching to a Christian heart in the best non-Christian prayers. The religions are often better than their theologies, as the heart is apt to be wiser than the head : yet even the theologies, though they may account absurdly for what is genuinely religious, are results of sincere reflection upon the universal problems.

The inestimable advantage of Christian theology is that it walks in the light. Its first fact is that God has willed to make himself known. Hence its office is not to *' seek after God, if haply it may feel after him and find him," but to receive his self-manifestation made in Christ, and view the field of truth and religion in the light of it. Upon the basis of the Christian revelation it builds a structure into which it works all the proper materials of theology.

RELIGION AND THEOLOGY

To other religions it says, with Paul, '* What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this set I forth unto you." It declares that where men have groped after a God, a God exists, a real and Hving God, the Father of Jesus Christ, a Saviour to men.

Paul's methods of dealing with non-Christian religions, illustrated in Acts xiv. and xvii., are thoroughly Christian, and full of wisdom. At Lystra he met paganism in a gross form, and at Athens in a highly cultured form ; and in both forms he treated it with a genuine human sympathy and justice, while setting forth his own nobler and diviner faith. Few human utterances are richer in wisdom than his discourse at the Areopagus.

Revelation. — By revelation is meant, primarily, self-manifestation on the part of God. It is his making himself known to his creatures, in his character and his relations to them. Revelation is not primarily the giving of information on the various themes of religion : the chief and central theme of revelation is God himself, and revelation is self-expression. When it has been made, men have fresh means of knowing what manner of being God is. When God is rightly known, he stands as a central and all-illumining reality, and from knowing him men know practical truth in all parts of the sphere of religion. In revealing himself God gives light upon every important religious subject; but revelation is rightly conceived only when it is seen to be primarily God's self-manifestation.

We cannot here unfold the evidences of revelation, and in this course of study it is taken as a fact that in the Christian revelation, culminating in Christ and recorded in the Scriptures, the clearest and fullest revelation of God has been made. He that has seen Christ has seen the Father. It is well, however, to indicate where the evidence of this great fact is found. We find it in the Old Testament, in Christ, and in Christianity.

I. The Old Testament, studied historically, critically, and exegetically, gives evidence of a gradual discovery of lO AN OUTLINE OF CHRTSTIAN THEOLOGY

God on the part of men, which is accounted for in the record, and can best be explained in fact, by a deliberate and gracious self-revealing on the part of God. This divine explanation of the Old Testament story is confirmed, not weakened, by the better understanding of the ancient documents which modern study has obtained.

2. Christ. We study the authorities for the story of his life, their genuineness and trustworthiness, the proof that we possess historical knowledge of him; the record of his life, the substance of his teaching, the quality of his character, the presence in him of what is more than human, the impression made by his personality and his work, the record of his death and resurrection, — all tending to show that he stood in unique relation to God, and gave unique expression to his character and will.

3. Christianity. We examine its doctrine and life, its nature as an experience, its spiritual richness and simplicity, its agreement with the primal certainties of the human spirit, its power of appeal to the heart and conscience; its early victories, showing its moral vigor; its renewing power upon men; its adaptation to men of various races and grades of culture; its power of self-renovation and reform ; its progressiveness ; its superiority to other religions in its conception of God, and in ability to render that conception effective in the moral transformation of men; the nature of its ideals in personal character and in social life; its devotion to the idea of love; its efficiency as " the power of God unto salvation."

Study in these fields gives sufficient evidence that in Christ the living God stands expressed more fully than elsewhere, and that knowledge of him legitimately obtained from Christ is true knowledge.

THE SOURCES OF CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY

Where shall Christian theology find its materials? Anywhere. It should learn from any teacher that can teach it, and receive light from any source. Wherever

SOURCES OF CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY II

there is truth concerning God or our relation to him, or concerning any of the subjects that are involved in theological inquiry, there is proper material for Christian theology. Christianity claims to set forth the one living God, to whose realm all things belong. Its field for materials is therefore as wide as his creation.