FAITH IN DOCTRINE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 134, 29 February 1908, Page 5

FAITH IN DOCTRINE.

A MANIFESTO. , THE NEW THEOLOGY'S REPLY. "AS FUTILE AS THE ENCYCLICAL."' BY TEI/EGRAra —IT.ESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT London, February 27. Twenty chairmen of tho Congregational Union or' heads of colleges liavo signed a manifesto to the churches affirming their faith in Christian doctrines, though welcoming tho progress of evangelical theology. Tho Rev. It. J. Campbell, of NcwThoology famo, replying in the City Temple, said that this attempt to ' allay theological unrest would prove as futile as tho l'apal Encyclical against Modernists. DIVINE IMMANENCE EMPHASISED. The yeai - 1007 was remarkable for tho variety and interest of its. religious movements, and one of the most important of these was the advent of tlio New Theology, a term given by the Bev. R. J. Campbell to certain views brought forward by him, which created 4 great deal of controversy. Mr. Cnmpbell is a Congregationalist minister, and tho: manifesto referred to in the above cablegram may bo regarded as a reply from the more conservative section, of CongTegationnlists. Ithas been stated' that "what is of value in Mr. Campbell's system of theology is the emphasis he lays on the immanence'of God in tlje world, and of the existence of a Divino spirit ; iu man. What is dangerous is his minimising of sin, which lie. describes as a blundering quest for God." The doctrine of the Divine immanence is. not, of ..course, a new discovery, for it has been taught , by great theologians in all ages; , but Mr. Campbell and his friends have laid increased emphasis on it. It is contended by some that the new teaching in this respcct is hardly, distinguishable from pantheism, and that by its excessive emphasis of the Divine immanence it tends to obscure: the equally fundamental doctrine of the Divine transcendence.