THE EASTER FAITH.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1108, 22 April 1911, Page 9

THE EASTER FAITH.

VIEWS OF A CERMAN SCHOLAR. HISTORICAL AND SCIENTIFIC POINTS OF VIEW. How tho Easter faith in the Resurrection of Christ stands in the light of modern research is a question which naturally presents itself to many thinking people at the present Easter season. The position was well summed up soino time ago by Professor Taskor in reviewing Hilbord's "Christianity and Science" (published in Leipzig) in tho "London Quarterly Review." The following is a summary of the article:— "When lectures on Christian Apologetics havo been, by special request, delivered three times in Leipzig, and frequently in other German towns, they deserve to bo published; moreover, they have established their claim to be carefully studied," says Professor Taskor. "The booklet containing these lectures is entitled 'Christianity and Science.' Its author proves hims'elf competent to (leal thoroughly and lucidly with tho Christian idea of God as affected respectively by (1) modern cosmology, (2) modern biology, (3) modern psychology. Is Christ Risen? "Tho last lecture has for its theme 'The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.' At tho outset 'tho modern man' is reminded that it is unscientific to say, before - investigating tho evidence, that there is no resurrection from tho dead. Even tho Agnostic, if ho is consistent; will bo anxious to ascertain what aro the historic facts,what.philosophy has to say, and what weight ought to bo given to ethical and religious consideration. From these three points of view tho fundamental question of Christianity, 'Is Christ risen?' is approached. "Tho historian asks, 'Havo wo the reports of eye-witnesses?' and the answer is, 'No.' ■ There was no human witness of our Lord's rising from tho tomb. But it. is sufficient that the Risen Saviour appeared to disciples, who'have told us what they saw and what Ho said. Tho variations and apparent discrepancies in the narratives aro. frankly acknowledged. But it is maintained that only a childish naiveto would, for this reason, reject them as entirely untrustworthy. An Experiment in Evidence. "Tho jurist and the historian aro bettor qualified to pronounce judgment on this question than 'the theologian who, in his study, lives remote fiom the world.' Professor von Liszt made an experiment with students .of criminal law. lie arranged that there should be a dispute, .ending with a revolver-shot 'Out of these unquestionably competent and entirely disintore'sted witnesses not one correctly reported what happened. The smallest number of mistakes was four! Some errors were incredible. Ono ascribed tho strongest expression in the dispute to a gentleman who took no part in it.' It was also asserted, without any truth, that he who tired the revolver, retreated to the "wall before seizing the weapon, etc. "A scientific judgment must, therefore, remember what a jurist never forgets— namely, that when ■ witnesses agree in all details, their agreement suggests either that they aro in collusion or that'they havo.compared notes. In like manner,■ Droysen,. tho historian,, emphasises, in his text-book, tlio fact, that 'historical material is never complete.' It is well known how many mistakes there aro in Bismarck's accouno of the Battle of Sedan. "Hilbevt concludes that seeming discrepanci'cs!'d6. riot 'shake tho credibility of tho 'deciiivc fact' that many witnesses 'saw the Risen Saviour. "Good use is, however, made of St. Paul's list of Christ's appearances (1 Cor. xv 3-8), to show that the oldest tradition records appearances both in Jerusalem and in Galilee. Then follows an excellent summary of tho argument that the history of Cliristiaiity is an absolute riddle, unless it be true that Jesus lives. Materialism and Evidence. "Attempts, ill tho.- interests of : ma-, torialistic views of the world, to discredit the historic evidence aro next, considered. Many assume that it is enough to say, 'Never has a dead.man risen; it is contrary to all experience, and to .the laws of nature.' Falling back oh the proof given in a previous chapter that the. human spirit is not derived from the material,' Hilbcrt argues ,that there is no scientific reason compelling us to deny tho possibility o'. the spirit's survival of tho decay of the body. 'As it came from another world, it may pass to another world.' "It is further maintained that neither historically nor philosophically is anything gained by adopting the theory that it was the.spirit of Jesus that was seen by His disciples, but that His body did not rise.. The historian t is confronted by the witness of those who are trustworthy, and by.tlio empty grave; the philosopher knows that the survival of pure spirit is, to tho modern: mind, moro unthinkable than resurrection in a spiritual body. .'.' -.' Energy Not Material but Spiritual. "As regards the final difficulty—tho glorifying or spiritualising of the body 0. Jesus—liilbert says that we' must get rid of what Von Hart-maim calls tlio superstition of tho substantiality of matter,' and trust the teachings of modern science, which asserts that matter is 'localised energy.' Energy is not material, but spiritual. If, therefore, the matter, of our body must ultimately be classed'as spiritual, 'why may it r.ct be still further spiritualised, dematerialised, glorified?' That the spirit can exert influence upon matter psychology has been driven to admit. Htn'ce, on these and othei 1 grounds, 'the unbiased modem agnostic must admit' that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is scientifically credible.! Credible Historical Evidence. "Summing up his able and well-sus-tained argument," Hilbert says that for tho truth of the Easter message, Chiist, is risen, there is credible historical evidence that on scientific grounds tho resurrection of Jesus from tlio dead cannot bo pronounced impossible, and that the facts of tho personal, moral, and religious lifo are strongly confirmatory or its reality. Nevertheless, for abiding personal certainty one thing will always bo essential, and that is personal experience. It is for moral reasons that the Risen Lord cannot manifest Himself to all with irresistible demonstration that He is alive for evermore. "The setting up of tlio Kingdom of God upon earth means tho salvation of the moral personality; the're'orc, the decision for Christ must not bo an onforced, but a moral decision. Those who to regard faith as unworthy of the scientific mind are told, in tho words of Wundt, that 'the newest philosophy docs not aim' at transmutinc; faith' into knowledge, but at establishing tho necessity of faith.' In the last resort it is unscientific to ignore or to underestimate the significance of tho fact that, throughout tho ages, personal experience lias been to countless multitudes tho infallible proof that Jesus lives."