Full Text for CTM Book Review 2-11 (Text)

bie ~bangeHen uns brofl ober IJau~tfiie!)fidj 53egenben bieten, ttJeift et energife!) ab, unb ber snnfie!)t tiber bie ~ntfteIJung ber ~bangelien, Die in unf erer ,Beit bon ber fogenannten formgefe!)ie!)t!ie!)en 6djule bertreten ttJitb, ftellt er ttJie!)tige ~rttJiigungen entgegen. 5\)oe!) ift aue!) et feibet meljrfae!) bom 6djriftgrunb abgettJie!)en. 60 876 Book Review. - £iteratur. fagt et in einet ifutnote (6. 27): ,,~~ l)anbeU fiel) in biefem iiberbHd um bie ®tUnb3Uge, niel)t Me lUu~geftaItung bes pauIinifel)en [lJtiftusbHbes; benn bat in basfefbe, lDie lDit es aus ben pauHnifel)en lStiefen etlJeben fonnen, auel) aeit~ gefel)iel)t1iel)e m~tljifef)e ~femente lUufnaljme gefunben lJaben, untetfiegt feinem ,slDeifef." mon bet :;'Stttum~fofigfeit bet 6el)tift lDiU affo ifeine niel)til lDijfen . .reein ®unber, bat et ben !!fbangeIiften niel)t abfo{ut traut, fonbern e~ afS feine WCdnung au~fptiel)t, bat "feinet betfefben eine in iebet Sjinfiel)t tiel)tige iiber~ fiefetung batbietet". (6. 68.) !!fbenfo lDiU et niel)t bie aIte futljetifel)e £eljte bon bet lSebeutung be~ ~obes [ljtifti teUen. ,,®eit lDeg Hegt fUt uns bie bogmatifel)e motfteUung, bat bet ~ob :;'S!!ffu ein lUusffut be~ ,sotne~ ®ottes fei. . .. lUuel) bet ®ebanfe einet Mngfiel)m Beiftung, bie :;'S!!ffuiJ an ®ott ljabe batbtingen mUffen, unb alDat dnet' ~eiftung, bie bas ~quibllfent bet oU fUljnenben 6el)ufb bet WCenfel)ljeit lDiite, ift lDeit ab3u~ lDeifen." (6.200.) ifeine bel)auptet, :;'S!!ffus ljabe niel)t fo etlDas betfUnbigt. iftei~ fief), lDie fiel) ifeine bei Mefet 6teUung ben ,sIDed bes ~obes :;'S!!ffu benft, ift niel)t leiel)t oU edennen. 'JCael) f einet :tlatfteUung nimmt :;'S!!ff us "ars ®ottes 60ljn unb .reiinig be~ ®ottesteiel)es ben 6Unbettob aUf fiel) unb Taflt bon ®ott an feinet ~etfon boU3ieljen, lDas bet 6Unbet im ~ob eddbet". (6.201.) :;'Sft :;'S!!ffus alfo Doel) unfet 6teUbetttetet~ :tlie 6ael)e lDito nief)t teefJt Hat. lUus bem ®efagten geljt ljetbOt, bat neoen bieIen mOt3Ugen bie~ ®etf boel) auel) fel)lDetlDiegenbe WCiingeI auf3uIDeifen ljat unb batum niel)t tiidlJaftIos empfoljlen lDetben fann. ®. IU t n b t. Between Two Worlds. The Romance of Jesus. By Daniel A.. Polilng. Harper and Brothers, Publishers, New York and London. 229 pages. Price, $2.00. This book is not worth reviewing; but because of the authol"~ posi- tion in the present church world and the advertising the book is getting it is perhaps well to inform the readers of these pages of that fact. It purports to be a life of Jesus and- aims to show the human side of the - Master; and the way the author caricatures the Lord is nothing less than blasphemous; yet he does it in a way and style that makes it rather attractive to the reader who sees nothing more in Christ than the Model Man. Harper and Brothers have done the world no service in publishing Dr. Poling's latest. Keep it out of the hands of your young people. THEO. HOYER. 'l)a~ ;taufenbjiiijtige !Reid) bet {utijerifdjen ~h:dje. (,Dffenb.20.) mon ~fattet if t. WC U f f e t. Imprimerie Mulhousienne, Mulhouse. 132 6eiten 6X9'i2. ~teis: 50 [til. :;'Sn bief et 6el)tift l)aben lDit ein ffiefetat, bas bei ®efegenl)eit einet 6~nobaI~ betfammlun() unfeter elfiiffifef)en lStUbet botgetta()en lDotben ift. !!fs ift ein fel)lDie~ riges ~1jema, bas bem ffiefetenten ()efteUt IDUtbe, unb iebe 6eite bes lSuel)es aeugt bon j1eitiget IUtoeit. lSefonbete !!f1;futfe, bie bie lSeatlieitung bes ;tl)emas an bie Sjanb gali, fonbetliel) tiliet bie :;'Snfpitation, finb bot aU em bon ®iel)tigfeit. 6el)teibet betititt dne IUnfiel)t bon ben taufenb :;'Sal)ten, bie in ben etlDas ftarfen ®otten Bum lUusbt'ud fommt: ,,®enn bas aliet niel)t feljten unb befjaupten ljeiflt, mit betner erften lUuferfteljung burel) ben ®{auben unb mit beiner ®ebutt ins Beben ®ottes bift bu fel)on bie taufenb ;;sal)te aft gelDorben, bie am IUnfang !!fnbe unb am !!fnbe IUnfang finb, bann fonnen lDit auflJiiren oU glauben unb au beten, bafl ®ott uns metnunft unb 6inne gegeben unb etljaUen l)abe." (6.103.) ®et Book Review. - 53itetatut. 877 biefe sntbeit mit teef)tet ~tbauung ftubimn ltliff, ltlitb ltlo~l batan tun, aug1eidJ auef) 53ut~et§! ~inreitung aUt Dffenbatung (bom :;5a~te 1545) aU ref en f oltlie bie fUr3en lBemetfungen D. ~ie~et§! 3U Dffenb. 20 in feinet ,,~~tifH. SDogmatif", III, 587 ff. ~. ~. ~ t q man n. The Philosophy of the Good Life. ner's Sons. 346 pages, 6 X 8%. By Oharles Gore. Price, $3.00. Charles Scrib- The author is a noted Anglican, whose viewpoint is reputedly con- servative. He is rated close to the evangelicals. As a matter of fact, much of his recent writing is modernistic, if not indeed mildly infidelic. The present volume is no exception to this criticism. It passes in review the major religions, beginning with Zoroaster and ending with the new cosmic speculations of Eddington and Jeans. There are chapters of con- siderable merit on Plato and Buddhism, and in his discussion of modern physical theories Bishop Gore proves himself conversant with the most recent discussion of the ideal background of the universe. He finds, and we agree with him there, "a general trend in the world of recent thought to acknowledge some positive tendency in evolution towards specific forms not yet realized, which cannot really be distinguished from design, to which Dr. Whitehead gives the name of 'the principle of concretion,' which he finds it necessary to postulate throughout nature and to which he gives the name of God. This 'principle' does not seem to me to be rationally conceivable as anything less than a presiding, purposeful mind, present from the beginning" (p. 244). This, of course, is a great recession from the old materialism. Dr. Gore quotes the conclusions of other scientists who are beginning to believe that the present theories of evolution are "not more than a convenient halting-place in the passage of contemporary philosophy from mechanistic materialism to the general recognition of design or purpose throughout nature - which surely involves the idea of God the Creator" (p. 250). The miraculous is no longer to be repudiated. To call miracles impossible is an attitude which is no longer maintainable. "It is hardly too much to say that Dr. Tennant had demonstrated its un- tenability; and Professor Hobson, in his Survey, has stated plainly and forcibly that 'it is a piece of a-priori dogmatism, quite incapable of sub- stantiation on scientific grounds.' Science does not know nearly enough to exclude the possibility of the miraculous from its idea of nature any more than to exclude the 'free determination' of human actions. How- ever, in these convictions the theologian is only following after the scien- tists who discarded mechanism while reputable theologians were still denying miracles. Quite evidently the author does not believe in the deity of Jesus, and his view of inspiration is such as to leave Zoroaster, Moses, Moha=ed, and Jesus Christ all on the same level (pp. 143. 293). TH. GRAEBNER. ~ie ~ufgabe ber ~1Jorogetif. mon P. Dr. sn 1 f t e b sn bam, ~fattet fUt :;5nnm illCiffion 3U m:lie§!baben. metIag bon SDiitffling & i}'tanfe. 53ei~3ig. 148 l5eiten. ~tei§!: @e~eftet, M.5; gebunben, M.6. SDie§! ift eine 3eitgemiifje, lefensltlette unb ltliffenfef)aftlief) gtUnblief)e ~tiitte~ tung eine§! S!::~ema§!, ba§! Die @egenltlatt mit iljten neuen tljeologifef)en ~toblemen ltlieber 3Ut lBef~teef)ung btingt. &;iaben ltlit ben metfaffet teef)t betftanben, fo fiinnen ltlit bem ~nbtefll1tat feinet tiefgeljenben Untetfuef)ung bei~f1ief)ten. SDet 878 Book Review. - mtetatur. mUffat fcf)liejit mit bem jJaait: "SDie ml1010getif !Jat nut bie ~ufgaoe, bas .\'doten bes ~bangeIiums au etmiigIicf)en, fotueit mlenfcf)en baau ettuas tun tonnen." (15. 128.)mlit !)aUen bies filr bie cinaig betnilnftige unb t!)eologifcf) tuie tuiffen< fd)aftHd) unanfed)toate )Seftimmung bet al1010getifd)en mufgaoe. mud) barin ftimmen tuir bem mutor oei, tuenn er fd)reibt: "SDie ~itcf)e !)at ben mufttag, bie mldt aum @lauoen au tUfen. SDas aoet !)eijit: fie fOU ben moU3ug bes @fauoens ermoglid)en, fobid an igt liegt; fie foU fotuo!)l butd) bas SDidid)t bet @lauoens< !)inbetniffe einen mleg oa!)nen, a15 aud) bie @eftaU bet )Sotfd)aft, bie ben neu< geoauten mleg aum .\'det3en bet .\'dotet ge!)t, bon aUen mnftojien, bie nid)t in bet l5ad)e begtilnbet finb, fteimad)en. SDie ~itd)e Inaud)t ba!)et eine SDiSail11in, in ber bie 53e!)te bon bet )Sefeitigung bet @lauoensf)emmungen batgeooten tuitb." (15. 127.) ~s ift aud) gana unfete mleinung, tuenn bOt!)et ausgefilfJtt tuitb: "mlit tteten bafilr ein, baji bie aUe )Senennung (,ml1ofogetif') oeibe!)aUen tuitb, auniid)ft, tneH fie uns trot aU em a15 fad)gemujier etfd)cint. mlit trcioen in ber ml1010getii bod) tatfud)lid) bie ,fied)tfettigung' ber d)tiftfid)en ftbet3eugung bor SDtaujien< ftegenben, inbem tuit unfetn @lauoen a1Smla!)t!)eit ,oetuu!)ten' unb i!)n gegen ,motinilrfe' berteibigen." (15.125.) metgeffen tuit aoet nid)t - unb bas gefd)ie!)t bod) !)iet 3utueHen trot aUet Haren unb fd)arfen SDurd)filfJtUng bes .\'daul1tgeban< tens -, baji bie ml1010getif, in ber bet merfaffet )Serilf)tUngen finbet mit bet @efetesl1rebigt, fd)liejilid) nid)t nur cine gana anbere mufgaoe, fonbetn aud) cine gana anbere mlitfung ljaben muji a15 bie ~rebigt bes gotttid) infl1itietten mlottes. @nabenmitte1 tuirb bet al101ogetifd)e I5toff nk SDie SDiSail1lin fann nut cine fides humana, tuie fid) unfete aUen ::tljeofogen ausbtUdten, etmoglid)en, nie cine fides divina, bie bet .\'deHige @eift fel!Jft burd) bas gottrid)e mlort tuitten muji. Wit iuoUen ben mlett ber ml1ofogetif nid)t betfennen, mUffen alier lietonen, baji in ber ~ra6iS hie gotHid)e ~rebigt fd)Iiefllicf) fdoft hie burd)greifenbe ml1ofogetif bfeiben muji. SDas mlort @ottes ift gotHid) tuitffam, eoen tueU es bon @ott ift; bas mlort ber al1010getifd)en fied)tfertigung ift aber nur menfd)1id) tuitffam, eoen IneH es nur menfd)lid)en Urfl1tungs ift. mlit fied)t fJat D. jJ. ~iel1er bie mufgaoe bet ml1ofogetit bafJer [0 beftimmt: "SDie ml1010getif ift nur ba3u ba, um bem Un< gfiiuhigen 3U aeigen, tuie unbetnilnftig fein Ungfaulie ift." )Sleibt bie ml1010getif in biefem fiafJmen, fo ift fie coenfo tuitffam tuie oeted)tigt. ~.s fefJ1t uns an fiaum, bie .\'daulJiuntetfud)ungen in hiefer mtlieit eingeljenbet au betiicffid)tigen. SDa finDen tuit bides, bem tuir oeiftimmen, aliet aud) bides, bas 3um mlibetfl1tUd) aUfforbert. mlitb a.)S. l5d)lciermad)et als ml1ofogetifet gefolit, fo barf bod) nie bergeffen tuerben, baji l5d)leiermad)et notgebrungen biefe SDiSail1lin gerabe bestuegen in falfcfJe )SafJnen feUen mujite, tneU feine gan3e ::tfJeo< fogie fl1du1atibdritifd) cingefteUt tuar. l5eine l1tinail1ieUe Untetorbnung bet ::tfJeologie unter bie ~ljHofol1fJie mad)t eine ml1ofogetif im liiSfJer berftanbenen l5inn ber ~itcf)e eoenfo unmog!id) tuie unnotig. megt nid)t batin bet @tunb, bat tuit bon ber .\'danb l5d)feiermad)ers Teine ausgefilfJrte ml1ofogetif ljaben ~ mud) fcine l5d)ilfer filf)rten neoen ber ml1ofogetif borhd, tuei! fie au fe!)t ben )Saljnen ifJtesmleifters folgten. ~henfo tuirb bie gegentuurtige bialeftifd)e fiid)tung in ber ::tfJeofogie bas eigentrid)e @eViet ber ml101ogetit nid)t red)t ein3ufd)uten tuiffen, elien tueU fie fid) nid)t boU unb gana barauf befinnt, tuas ::tfJeofogie nad) l5d)tift unb )sdenntniS ift. SDie ~titif bes merfaff ers ift fJiet f eljr angelirad)t, bUtfte fogarcberfd)urft tuerben. @etabe bas fJat bem ~TutOt aUt marljeit berljolfen, baji er fid) in ben .\'daul1tailgen an 53utljer unb an bem lut!)etifd)en )SefenntniS neu otien< tiet! !)at. ;;sn biefer fd)tuanfenben, tuiberfl1tUd)sboUen 3cit Ivirb bie mroeU aur red)ten mUffaffung ber ml1ofogetif oeUragen. ;;So ::to ml U f r e r. Book Review. - l3iteratur. 879 The Story of Luther. By W. G. Polack. Ooncordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo. IX and 155 pages, 5 X71f2. Price, 60 cts. It is the old story in a new dress. "Nothing particularly new has been added," the publishers say; "the mode of presentation, however, has been, we think, beneficially influenced by the fact that the author was not obliged to design the book for a classroom in primary schools." It is a book that the general reader will enjoy as well as the upper-grade pupils in our schools. It is smoothly written, in pleasing, yet effective style. One of the appealing features of the book is that Luther himself is frequently in- troduced as his own biographer; Luther's words have their own peculiar quality, and reading thesc samples may induce one or the other reader to try more of the same kind and delve more deeply into his writings.- While the book is "written fof the general public, not specifically the Bchool-age or high-school-age public," it is among the latter that it should find its greatest field. Our young people - and most of us older people, but chiefly our youth - do not know enough of the great Reformer, of the conditions in the Ohurch that made the Reformation necessary, of the characteristics of Luther's Reformation that made it successful. Professor Polack's book is especially adapted for study in Sunday-school and Walther League Bible classes, a series of "Study Helps" being added. Devote a few weeks before the Reformation-festival to the study of Luther's life and use this book as a text-book; it will help to make your young people more intelligent and better-informed Lutherans. THEO. HOYER. ;tier ~!:Jram, ltIie idJ i~n fa~. mon 9Jl:ilfionar &j. 15 dJ jj n v erg e t. merlag 'Der (l;bangdifd)en 1JJ1of)amme'Danermifiion, lilliesbaben. 40 l5eiten 6X9. \'preiS: 40 ~ts. lJottoftei. (l;s ift bies eine furse, abet liveraus intete\fante I5dJrift, bie in treffHd)er >meife ben I))lof)ommebaniilmus dJarafteti\iert unb bie I5dJmietigfeiten ber I))liffions, arveit unter ben Qln9itngern bes ~sfams fdJt1bert. lillet fidJ batliver munbett, ball dJrift1idJe I))liffionare nid)t erfo fgreidJer finb in if)rem lillirfen unter ben I))lo, f)ammebanern, 'ocr lefe 'Diefe iStofdJiire. 9lad) einem mormott bon I))liffions, inflJeftor \'pfaner &jel'D unb einer (l;infeitung finben mit bier litngere .ltalJitef mit 'Diefen itoerfdJriften: 1. (l;ntftef)ung unb Qlusoreitnng bes ~sfams. 2. g)er ~nf)aft Dicfer \Religion. 3. g)unHe stiefen: bie I5teUung ber tytau. 4. g)ie I))liffions, arbeH unter ben 1))l0f)amme'Danern. lillaf)renb einerjeits bet tyanatismus unb bet fdJier veiflJieHofe I5tof3 ber I))lof)ammebaner dJrift1idJen Qlroeitern bie griillten &jin, bernifje in 'Den lilleg fegen, ift bod) aud) anbererfeits nid)t au leugnen, 'Dall cine neue .(leit angeorod)en au fein fdJcint, fo ball 3. is. bas alte ®efe~, bas jebenl))lo, f)ammebaner mit 'oem stobe neftrafen lallt, ber fetne \Religion aufgibt, in 'Den meiften mof)ammebanifdJen l3an'Dern f)eute nidJt meljr bmdJgeflif)rt mitb. g)er merfafjer fdJreilJt 'Darliner: ,,(I;s gint f)eute in aUen moljammebanifdJen l3anbern fdJon bide, 'Die ~ljtiften gemot'Den finb, of)ne 'Dall if)nen bier gefdJeljen mare. /I I))leljrm Heine (l;qaljfungen, mit 'Denen bie iSrofdJlire fd)liellt, 3eigen, ball audJ nei Qlnljangern bes ~sfams fidJ 'Das (l;bangefium afS eine ®ottesfraft nemeift, bie bo felig madJt aUe, bie baran gfauoen. lill. Ql t n b t. 880 Book Review. - 53itetatut. ~ingegaltgeue .l3iteratur. metiag bvn ~iirff1ing & \3'tanfe, 53ei.).13ig: ~utijertum unb foMale iYragc. ?!lvn D. Dr. ~. 6. 6 d) 0 f f e! unb Dr. theol. Ubv!f ,reobetie. 110 6eiten 51f2X81f2. ~teiiJ: M.2. ?!l e t 1 a g b v n CI:. lB e t tel iJ man n, @Ute t iJ ! v ~ : ':Die ~eurtcUung be~