RELIGION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27391, 17 May 1950, Page 2

RELIGION

The Case For Christianity Christianity and History. By Herbert Butterfield. G. Bell and Sons, Ltd. 7s 6d. This book contains, in expanded form, a series of broadcast lectures made by Professor Butterfield, who is professor of modern history at the University of Cambridge. The range of lectures is wide and their impact on the mind is such that one reading is quite insufficient. It may be said that they form together probably the profoundest statement of the place of history in the world and of its relation to religion that has been made for very many years. Professor Butterfield is familiar with all the arguments for and against Christianity. He finds its hierarchical developments very often an offence against both God and man, and he recognises that it has to meet many very cogent and difficult objections. But, himself a convinced Christian, he states the case for Christianity with tremendous power, and yet without begging any questions and without any pretence that historical scholars have to be listened to with undue respect by the unlettered. In fact, he condemns many forms of the teaching of history just as severely as he does many forms of development of religion. He recognises the blinkers which academic teaching can put over inquiring eyes. To those disturbed at the present state of the world, his 'lecture on “ Providence and the Historical Process ” will be particularly enlightening. But it is impossible in a review to deal with a tithe of what is here so brilliantly argued. It must suffice to say that every Christian and every historian, whether Christian, Hindu or Communist, should read this book. It casts a bright light into many dark corners of religion, and, what is rarer still, makes the reader suddenly see from a new angle facts and events which he thought till then he sufficiently understood. P. H. W. N.