The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 17

:

NOTES TO THE AMERICAN EDITION

xvii

Dr. Chantepie de la Saussaj'e, a disciple of Schleiermacher,

was

the spiritual father of this Ethical theology.

Born in

1818, Dr.

De

Saussaye entered the University of Leyden in 1836. Dissatisfied with the rational supernaturalism of a former generation, unable to adapt himself to the vagueness and ambiguousness of the so-called Groningen school, or to find a basis for the development la

of his theological science in the treasures of the Calvinistic theol-

ogy, he felt himself strongly attracted to the school of Schelling,

and through him he came under the influence of Pantheism. During the years of his pastorate in Leeuwarden (1842-48) and in Leyden to 1872, he modified and developed the ideas of Schleiermacher in an independent way. The Ethical theology was the result. Its basic thought may be comprehended as follows " Transcendent above nature, God is also immanent in nature. This immanence is not merely physical, but also, on the ground of This ethical immanence manifests itself in the religwhich is the real and true life of man. It originates in the heathen world, and through Israel ascends to Christ, in whom Among the heathen it manifests itself espeit attains completion. cially in the conscience with its two elements of fear and hope; this, ethical.

ious moral

among

life,

Israel in

Law and Prophecy and ;

union with God and humanity. excellence,

the Central Man, in

However, while until Christ center, after Christ

For

whom it

in Christ in His perfect

this reason all

that

is

He is the Word/ar human is realized.

proceeded from circumference to

proceeds in ever-widening circles from center Life flows from Christ into the Church, which,

it

to circumference.

having temporarily become an institution for the education of the became through the Reformation and the French RevoltiIts power lies no tion what it should be, a confessing Church. nations,

more

in ecclesiastical organization, neither in authoritative creed

in

moral activity and influence.

in the conscience

begins to work and to govern

and confession, but

Word is

being transferred into the moral domain.

in

However, the perfect ethical immanence this dispensation being always possible, "

;

of it

God

may

The ,

is

divine

Christianity

not attained

be realized in

the succeeding eons."* It is

theistic

not surprising that this theology, obliterating with

its

pan-

current the boundary-lines between the Creator and the

* Dr. Bavink.

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