RELIGION IN AMERICA

Taranaki Daily News, 26 February 1931, Page 8

RELIGION IN AMERICA

CONTRAST WITH DOMINIONS. “It is only -in backward countries like Australia and New Zealand that the study, of religion cannot be pursued except under denominational purposes,” remarked Professor S. Angus, of Sydney, who reached. Auckland on his return journey to Sydney- from New York, where he has been engaged as a visiting professor of theology. Professor’ Angus added that in the large'classes before which he hud lectured hardly any of the students were contemplating the Church as a profession, and most of them were taking theology purely us an educational subject. . Professor Angus, who holds the chair of New Testament studies and history of theology in St- Andrew’s College, Sydney, recently completed the term of an appointment as visiting professor of religion in the Columbia University, New York, where he lectured in philosophy of religion.. He also. lectured at the Cornell University on the sa'm'e subject. Commenting on the conditions in these, two universities, Professor Angus sah£ there was no' comparison between them and the universities of Aus'tralui. The American institutions were richly en-' dowed and thoroughly equipped, and immense sums' ,'f money were spent in the effort to obtain the best educational facilities for the students.

There '/ere a great many students of religion who were not divinity students in the sense in which the term would be used in this country. Religion was free from the handicap of denominational interest and occupied its rightful place as a cultural subject. “It was a pleasure to teach religious subjects under such conditions,” Professor Angus., commented. “It is easy to imagine the enthusiasm with which religion is taught when the teacher is not under any creedal obligations.”