Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 324

;

300

DEGENERATIONS OF

§ 62.

Degenerations of Theology as

§ 62.

The

''''

[Div. Ill

Knoivledge of Crod^^

idea and significance of Theology has been corrupted

two respects on the one hand with reference to Theology as "knowledge of God," and on the other with reference This section treats of the first to Theology as "science." kind of degeneration, and the following of the falsification of Theology as science. in

:

With

reference to the degeneration of Theology, taken in

the sense

of

"knowledge

God," we must begin with

of

Natural Theology (theologia naturalis), since only in view of this natural knowledge of God can there be any question of

Theology with those who It is

latio specialis).

which unites the higher

A

religion.

is

observed

in

our times to seek the

It is

deemed

present in almost

among

tie

pagan nations to our own, in

life of

general conception of religion

the foreground. religion

reject special revelation (reve-

common

all

is

then placed in

that in this general sense

these nations.

Affinity

is

their several religions, but also a gradual

thought that a process is percepmany-sided process that the Christian religion is brought into relation to these lower forms. We do not take this way, because religion and knowledge of God are not the same, and it is in the latter difference.

tible,

and

In

it is

all this it is

by means

that Theology finds

its

of this

only point of departure.

Religion

can be interpreted as a sense, a service, or an obligation, but in none of these is it identical with the "knowledge of God."

This

is

most strongly emphasized by the

j^ious agnostic

who

claims himself to be religious, and yet on principle excludes all

knowledge

of

The

loss from sight of this specific and Theology accounts for the the science of Theology religion has been

God.

difference between religion fact, that

even in

put in the place of its original object. This compels us to seek the tie that binds us to pagan _

nations, not in the

phenomenal

side of their religious life-

expressions, but, along with Scripture, in natural Theology

same time offers this advantage, not t'o be despised, that we need not confine ourselves to the national

which

at the

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