Theism; being the Baird Lecture of 1876Flint, Robert
Religion
Theism; being the Baird Lecture of 1876
Flint, Robert
Theism
Mr Venn's 'Hulsean Lectures' for 1869 "are intended to illustrate,
explain, and work out into some of their consequences, certain
characteristics by which the attainment of religious belief is
prominently distinguished from the attainment of belief upon most other
subjects. These characteristics consist in the multiplicity of the
sources from which the evidence for religious belief is derived, and
the fact that our emotions contribute their share towards producing
conviction."
What I have said in the text ought not to be understood as implying any
doubt that men are largely responsible for their beliefs. This I accept
as an indubitable truth, although there is great room for difference of
opinion as to the limits of the responsibility; but it is a truth which
no one party in a discussion has a right to urge as against another
party. It is a law over all disputants, and is abused when severed from
tolerance and charity. Perhaps it has never been better expounded and
enforced than in Dr Pusey's 'Responsibility of the Intellect in Matters
of Faith' (1873).
That religious belief is in a great measure conditioned and determined
by character is implied in the whole argument of my third lecture.
In this fact lies the main reason why the highest evidence may not
produce belief even where there is no conscious dishonesty in those
who reject it. A person desirous of working himself fully into the
truth in this matter, will find excellent thoughts and suggestions in
Dr Newman's 'Fifteen Sermons preached before the University of Oxford,
between A.D. 1826 and 1843,' and in Principal Shairp's 'Culture and
Religion.'
NOTE IV., page 23.
TRADITIVE THEORY OF RELIGION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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