The Book of God : In the Light of the Higher Criticism: With Special Reference to Dean Farrar's New ApologyFoote, G. W. (George William)
Religion
The Book of God : In the Light of the Higher Criticism: With Special Reference to Dean Farrar's New Apology
Foote, G. W. (George William)
Bible -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.; Farrar, F. W. (Frederic William), 1831-1903. New apology
still, in substance. The only point in dispute between us is whether
there is a God who interferes with the natural course of things, either
in the external world or in the human mind. But on your definition of
the word _inspired_, this makes no particular difference to any one book
or collection of books. And unless you alter (and narrow) your theory of
inspiration, our difference begins outside, not inside, the library--and
is, in brief, not practical, but metaphysical."
But let us return to Dr. Farrar's method of proving his sufficient
orthodoxy; and let us tell him that if he will only pursue it far
enough, he may get rid of the Bible altogether.
Suppose we take Pearson's classic _Exposition of the Creed_, and open
it at his address "to the Reader." In the second paragraph he writes as
follows:--"The Creed, without controversy, is a brief comprehension of
the objects of our Christian faith, and is generally taken to contain
all things necessary to be believed." Now this Creed does not mention
the Bible at all. A heathen might read it, and never infer from it that
there was such a thing as the Scriptures in existence. What then is to
prevent Dr. Farrar, or some more audacious clergyman, from saying
that he does not believe in the Bible, as it is nowhere laid down
as necessary to be believed; but that his orthodoxy is nevertheless
unimpeachable, because he "most heartily accepts" the Catholic and
Apostolic Creed which is "without controversy" an accurate compendium of
the Christian faith, and which, being prescribed in the Prayer Book,
is of course binding--and is _alone_ binding--on every loyal son of the
Church of England?
Dr. Farrar claims, as a clergyman, what he calls a "Christian liberty"
in dealing with the Bible; although, if God has indeed spoken in the
Bible, it is difficult to see what liberty a Christian can have but that
of absolute belief and obedience. In a lengthy footnote of his volume
which we have been criticising, he refers to the famous "Essays and
Reviews Case," and the decisions of the judges in the Court of Arches
and in the Privy Council. Dr. Lushington laid it down that: "Provided
the Articles and Formularies are not contravened, the law lays down no
limits of construction, no rule of interpretation, of the Scriptures."
Lord Westbury declared that the Sixth Article of the Church of England
was based upon "the revelations of the Holy Spirit," and therefore the
Bible might be denominated "holy" and be said to be "the Word of
God"; but this was not "distinctly predicated of every statement and
representation contained in every part of the Old and New Testaments."
"The framers of the Articles," Lord Westbury added, "have not used the
word 'inspiration' as applied to the Holy Scriptures, nor have they laid
down anything as to the nature, extent, or limits of that operation of
the Holy Spirit."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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