Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 658

;

634

THE ORGANISM OF

§ 99.

regeneration, and that in another sense she

[Div. Ill

is

the product of

Word. This contradiction, however, is Even here thought may not be divorced in appearance only. from heing. Without the constant activity of the Holy Spirit the Scripture itself is inoperative, and only when this activity of the Holy Spirit causes the Scripture to be illumined

the operation of the

does this fruitful virtue go out from it. Suppose, therefore, that the Holy Scripture were to be carried into the world,

without the regenerating and illumining activity of the Holy Spirit to precede, accompany, and to follow it, no church would ever be seen among the nations. But on the other hand also, if the action of the Holy Spirit had remained a pure mystery, and had not been unveiled to the consciousness by the Word, there would have been a hidden life-power in the souls of many people, but that power would never have

become

operative,

would not have led one believer

to join

himself to another, and thus would never have revealed the Church as an observable phenomenon. In its hidden quality the Church therefore

is

the product of the regenerating action

but theology cannot observe that action and theology begins to this remains hidden in mysticism reckon with it only when it makes itself outwardly manifest in of the

Holy

Spirit,

;

word and

practice.

In this the

Word

of Crod

is

the leading

power, and the touchstone as well, by which it becomes known whether we have to do with an action of the Holy Ghost, Hence both are or with a fanatic fantasy or imagination. true

:

Church is a product of the Holy Ghost, and the Church, as an object ob-

in its spiritual essence the

action of the

servable by theology, exhibits the operation of the Word. The name of Bogmatological departments can only be fully

explained in connection with the treatment of the group. Here, however, let it be said that it does not mean a group of departments, in which, independently of the history of doctrine, the investigator is to build up for himself a system of truth from the Holy Scripture.

Every dogmatist who

is

Actually this

is

never done.

a real theologian, voluntarily takes

Care, then, should be taken not to ajjpear to do what in reality one does not do.

the history of doctrine into account.

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