Collected Essays, Volume V: Science and Christian Tradition: EssaysHuxley, Thomas Henry
Religion
Collected Essays, Volume V: Science and Christian Tradition: Essays
Huxley, Thomas Henry
Agnosticism; Miracles; Religion and science
Dr. Wace says he believes the Gadarene story; whichever version of it
he accepts, therefore, he believes that Jesus said what he is stated
in all the versions to have said, and thereby virtually declared that
the theory of the nature of the spiritual world involved in the story
is true. Now I hold that this theory is false, that it is a monstrous
and mischievous fiction; and I unhesitatingly express my disbelief in
any assertion that it is true, by whomsoever made. So that, if Dr.
Wace is right in his belief, he is also quite right in classing me
among the people he calls "infidels"; and although I cannot fulfil the
eccentric expectation that I shall glory in a title which, from my
point of view, it would be simply silly to adopt, I certainly shall
rejoice not to be reckoned among "Christians" so long as the
profession of belief in such stories as the Gadarene pig affair, on
the strength of a tradition of unknown origin, of which two discrepant
reports, also of unknown origin, alone remain, forms any part of the
Christian faith. And, although I have, more than once, repudiated the
gift of prophecy, yet I think I may venture to express the
anticipation, that if "Christians" generally are going to follow the
line taken by Dr. Wace, it will not be long before all men of common
sense qualify for a place among the "infidels."
FOOTNOTES:
[64] I may perhaps return to the question of the authorship
of the Gospels. For the present I must content myself
with warning my readers against any reliance upon Dr.
Wace's statements as to the results arrived at by
modern criticism. They are as gravely as surprisingly
erroneous.
[65] The United States ought, perhaps, to be added, but
I am not sure.
[66] Imagine that all our chairs of astronomy had been
founded in the fourteenth century, and that their
incumbents were bound to sign Ptolemaic articles. In
that case, with every respect for the efforts of
persons thus hampered to attain and expound the truth,
I think men of common sense would go elsewhere to learn
astronomy. Zeller's _Vorträge und Abhandlungen_ were
published and came into my hands a quarter of a century
ago. The writer's rank, as a theologian to begin with,
and subsequently as a historian of Greek philosophy, is
of the highest. Among these essays are two--_Das
Urchirstenthum_ and _Die Tübinger historische
Schule_--which are likely to be of more use to those
who wish to know the real state of the case than all
that the official "apologists," with their one eye on
truth and the other on the tenets of their sect, have
written. For the opinion of a scientific theologian
about theologians of this stamp see pp. 225 and 227 of
the _Vorträge_.
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