History of rationalism; embracing a survey of the present state of Protestant theology

Front matter

HISTORY

OF

RATIONALISM

Author's Preface

TO THE REVISED EDITION.

The present revision of the History of Rationalism has been made during the past eighteen months. The salient points in the liberalistic theology of the last thirty-six years have been carefully studied and their bearings upon the recent religious life and thought of both Europe and America have been noted. Happily, the vital body of evangelical truth has received only comparatively weak and timorous attacks from the more modern representatives of the rank and rabid rationalism which reached its climax near the close of the eighteenth, and has had a continuous decline through the nineteenth century. This waning of the rationalistic spirit of the former period has rendered the task easier than it would have been if the virulence of the earlier type had continued in full force.

In the treatment of topics the book has, by a careful process of elimination and substitution, been kept substantially of the same size as its predecessor. The bibliography, however, has been materially enlarged by the addition of a choice selection from the rich accumulation of the last four decades, the increase being about one half in the number of book titles relating to the latest theological discussions.

Washington, D. C, October 31, 1901.

Introduction

Page

•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

Stiiudlin 11

Habn 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 . 3S

The Controversies described 39,40

George Calixtus 40-45

Jacob Boehme 46-49

John Arndt 49-51

John Gerhard 51-53

John Valentine Andrea 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

X

CONTENTS.

Page

Neglect of Children 62-65

Defects of Theological Literature 66-68

Low State of Theological Instruction 68, 6d

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, 8»

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 Feom

ABROAD.

Leibnitz, Founder of the Wolffian Philosophy 103, 104;

Wolff and the Popular Philosophy 104-111

The School of Wolff Ill

Tollner 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

CONTENTS. xi

Page

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

Wolfenbiittel Fragments 149-156

Philosophical Agencies:

Kant and his System 156-162

Service rendered by Kant 162

Fichte 163

Schelling 164

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

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 VII L

DOCTRINES OF RATIONALISM IN THE DAY OF ITS STRENGTH.

Desolate Condition of the Church 197, 198

Rationalism without a Common System 198, 199

XII CONTENTS.

Opinions of Rationalists: page

Religion 19^

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

Fichte and his Popular Appeal

Schleiermacher

The Romantic School

Ecclesiastical Reconstruction inaugurated by Frederic William III

The Union of the Lutheran and Reformed Churches

Claus Harms — his 95 Theses

Chapter X. Relations Of Rationalism And Supernaturalism. — 1810-1835

The Task before the New Church 237

Rationalism strengthened by Rohr 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

Hypercriticism 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

230, 231

231, 232 232-236

CONTENTS. Xlll

Heplies to the Life of Jesus: p^^e

Harless 271

Hoffman 271

Neander 272

Ullmann 273

Schweizer 273

Wilke 273

Schaller 273 liiterature occasioned by Strauss' Life of Jesus 274, 275

Strauss' New Life of Jesus for the People 275-278

^he Tubingen 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 XIL

THE EVANGELICAL SCHOOL! ITS OPINIONS AND PBESENT PBOSPECTS.

The Mediation Theologians, or Evangelical School, grouped:

Ullmann 288,289

Tholuck 292-295

Lange 295, 29G

Twesten 297

Nitzsch 297-299

Schenkel — his Adoption of Rationalism 303-305

Hengstenberg 305-307

Theological Journals 307

Improved Theological Instruction 307-309

Oerman Protestant Charities 310

Chapter XII L Lateb Theological Movements In Geemany

Christlieb and Dorner 311-315

Tatke, Graf, Wellhausen, Delitzsch, and Ewald 315-317

Weiss, Luthardt, Zahn, Keim, Hilgenfeld, Rauss, and Keil. . 317-320 xiv

CONTENTS.

Page

Strauss' later Career 320,321

Virchow, Lotze, Hartmann, and Haeckel 323,324

Pfleiderer 325,326

Ritschl 326-328

Harnack 328-331

Chapter XIV. Holland: Theology And Religion From The Synod Of Dort To The

COAIMENCEMENT OF THE NINETEENTH 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

Voetius 339,340

Controversy between the Cocceians and Voetians 340-343

Favorable Influence of the Huguenot Immigrants 343, 344

Popular Acquaintance with Theology 345, 346

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 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 Prins-

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

CONTENTS. XV

Page

The School of Ley den 367

Scholten 368-371

The School of Empirical-Modern Theology:

Opzoomer 371

Pierson 371-374

Doctrines of this School 374,376

The Ethical Irenical School 375

Chantepie de la Saussaye and Van Oosterzee 375-382

Later Movements 382-385

Kuyper 383

Kuenen and others 383,384

Present conditions 385