Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 599

Chap.

§ 88.

Ill]

THE PRrNCIPIUM

IN ACTION

575

the proofs, which he cites from the Scripture, at least as a rule, have not been discovered by himself, but have been

suggested to him by his predecessors. Thus, it is noteworthy that Calvin, who, undeniably, wrote at times as though affected by this

same

illusion, appeals constantly to

Augus-

tine and Thomas Aquinas, which shows that this illusion did The true element in this represen7iot govern his method.

meanwhile, should not be overlooked. And this is grasped at once if one places at the end of the way what Professor Dr. Bohl has held as truth at its beginning. He makes it to appear as if by making a tabula rasa the theologian reverts at once to the Holy Scripture and nothing but The actual course pursued, however, is this. the Scripture. tation,

The beginning

is

made under

the influence of all sorts of

other factors, while the task is not the way, all these factors are

made

ended

until, at the

end

of

to disappear, so that finally

our well-balanced conviction rests upon nothing but the Holy Then the scaffold is taken away, and we stand Scripture. on the pinnacle of the temple. This is the final ground that

must be reached its

point of rest.

if

the theological motive

And

to attain to

is

from the exalted feeling

it is

which

then inspires the theologian that the illusion objected to

above

is

born. hesitation, therefore, the factor of the

Without

be included in theological investigation.

what

From

Church must

the

life

of the

Holy Scripture occaturn sheds light upon its content. activity the

Church which activity in This would not have been the case to so great an extent if there had been only one interpretation of the Holy Scripture prevalent in the Church for this would have tended to But such was not the case. Almost likeness of formulation. it

appears,

sions,

;

all possible

interpretations have been tried

;

all

these inter-

pretations have sought to maintain themselves and to reach fixed forms of expression, and the fruit and effect of these several interpretations are manifest in history and in present conditions.

Hence the domain

longer unexplored

highland, crossed in

all

of the

Holy Scripture

is

no

on the contrary it is a variegated directions, all the mountain passes and

territory,

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