THE CHRISTIAN FAITH Edited by W. R. Matthews, D.D.
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THE CHRISTIAN FAITH Edited by W. R. Matthews, D.D.
Twelve theologians, Anglican and Free-church, have contributed to this book (Eyre and Spottiswoode, 8s. 6d.) under the editorship of the Dean of St. Paul's. Collections of essays have been of singularly little use, especially on religious questions, and the editor's warning that his writers have worked in complete independence was not promising. For this reason, however, it is surprising and significant that the book has a real unity in three respects. It expounds the Faith as the answer to the actual problems of men and not merely to questions a theologian or even a Christian might ask. Secondly, it does this by a confident handling of theological themes in terms that snake then► real to average intelligent readers. Thirdly, it represents a solid move towards re-establishing Christian • orthodoxy as the one living faith for any man if all his problems are taken into account. The late Canon Dearmer's essay on Christianity and Civilisation retains most flavour of liberal humanism, while Canon Barry in The Christian Way of Life exhibits in some ways the furthest reaction against it. Principal Cave might have made more of his answer to Why Christianity ? than insisting upon its universality compared with Eastern religions. The Editor's fondness for the abstract conception of " theism " is counterbalanced by the Bishop of Derby's fine essay on the
Incarnation. It is striking that - a Free-churchman, Principal Micklem, should make so much of the Church, while Dr. Edwyn Bevan explains it away poetically. The problem of man is dealt with incisively by President Whale writing on Sin, and by Dr. Wheeler Robinson who shows the need
for Redemption. Dean Underhill presents sacramental worship as the activity of man that fulfils his funda- mental need for God. It is an interesting event to find the Free-churchmen as theologically serious and . as orthodox as the Anglicans.
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