The Philosophical Review/Volume 1/Review: Pfleiderer - The Development of Theology in Germany since Kant
Pfleiderer's history of the development of Theology in Germany since Kant, and in Great Britain since 1825, is, so far as the method of its publication is concerned, unique in the history of philosophical and theological literature. It was written in German simply for the purpose of being translated into English. It was prepared at the request of the editor of the "Library of Philosophy" in order that it might have a place in the series of books that bears this name. We have thus an English translation of a work of which no German original had been published. The editor states in a note that a work published in this way demands special care in the translation, since the reader will not have the original to refer to in case of doubt. The translation is indeed remarkably good. In reading it one would rarely suspect that it was not an original work, written by a master of English composition. It is rare that one suspects that the German of Pfleiderer is not correctly rendered. We are all the more surprised to find in one place the word "Vorstellungen" which happily is given, translated by the word "intuitions." One is accustomed to this word in the conventional rendering of Kant's "Anschauung" for which there is at least an etymological reason. It is a relief indeed to escape the conventional rendering of "Vorstellung" by the word "representation," which is meaningless except as it suggests the original; the use of "intuition" as its substitute, however, almost makes one fancy that the translator in despair had seized upon the first word that offered itself. In another part of the work the word is rendered "the creations of the religious imagination," which is better, though even this would be misleading, without the help of the original. This word which has no English equivalent has played so important a part in the later German theology that it may well challenge the greatest skill on the part of the translator.
It was a happy thought to request such a work of Professor Pfleiderer. No one could be better fitted to perform it. His previous work has been received with great interest by English and American theologians: and he has loved to present his original thought in connection with the history of the development of philosophical and religious ideas. So far as German theology is concerned, he is writing of what is as familiar to him as his daily speech.
Perhaps, however, this very familiarity with the theme may now and then occasion a slight carelessness or at least a failure to perceive precisely what a foreign reader might wish to be told.
In treating of Dorner, for instance, the author speaks of this theologian as constructing an ethical trinity. It is true that Dorner does construct an ethical trinity ; but this ethical trinity is only one aspect of the psychological trinity which Dorner accepts. Further, in the account of Dorner, we find no reference to his views in regard to eschatology which have influenced to such an extent the thought of some theologians in this country. The views of Ritschl are presented and those of Lipsius. It would have been extremely interesting to have had some account of the more general discussion which the position of Ritschl has called forth. This has been one of the most interesting of the recent movements in the theological thought of Germany; and to have given merely the names of Hermann and others, who have carried on this discussion, would have been a helpful guide to the foreign student. It lies outside the plan of the book, but some indication of the following which the various theologians have had, and of the degree in which one and another have influenced the life of the church would have been very welcome. It would be interesting to know, for instance, how far Biedermann may be considered as representing any considerable portion of the religious thought of Germany.
In the interesting history of New Testament criticism and exegesis, while we are told what critics considered the Gospel of Mark as the earliest gospel, and what critics did not, we are not told what dates have been assigned to the gospels, or what results may be regarded as having been reached by advanced criticism in regard to the genuineness of the various epistles ascribed to Paul.
The plan of the book is very happy. Both the German and the English departments begin with a review of the philosophical systems which have served in some degree as the basis of theologic thought. The account that is given of Herder in this preliminary philosophical study is one of the most interesting statements in the book. It gives at once the secret of Herder's influence, and of the limits of this influence. The analysis of the thought of Hegel is especially refreshing in these days in which temperate speech in regard to him is rare; some finding in him the sum of all truth, and others seeing only the mechanism and the extravagant claims of the system. Pfleiderer finds the weakness of Hegel in what was at the same time his strength; namely, his pure intellectualism. In this pure intellectualism of Hegel, he finds the source of the one-sided view which Strauss took of Christianity and of religion in general.
The account of the schools of Philosophy in England is interesting. There is so little pure philosophizing in England, and English theology has so slight a relation to Philosophy, that we may suppose the task of Pfleiderer, so far as this part of his work is concerned, to have been somewhat difficult. The account is rather mixed, as if he found it necessary to force into the philosophic ranks any one on whom he could lay hold. Thus F. W. Newman and Martineau appear among the philosophers rather than among the theologians. Martineau, indeed, may be regarded as both philosopher and theologian, but not more truly than most German theologians. The placing Newman and Martineau among the philosophers causes the picture of theology in England to lack somewhat of proportion; the more liberal thinking outside the limits of the national church not being recognized.
It was of course only a slip of the pen which in an early part of the book (p. 6) led to the association of Locke with Berkeley and Hume as limiting our knowledge to the phenomena of consciousness. Locke is later spoken of more correctly.
The pictures of German and English theologies that are thus placed side by side suggest an interesting comparison of their methods and results. German theology is seen to be a native growth. English theology, so far as its most marked phases are concerned, is largely indebted to the Continent. Through Coleridge came the influence of German thought, which did much to soften and liberalize English theology, and which bore perhaps its ripest fruit in Maurice. From Hegel came the ideas which inspired Green and John Caird. The Tractarian movement was largely the result of a reaction against increasing liberalism, but positively it was influenced by the attractive power of the Church of Rome; an attraction which in the case of Cardinal Newman and others proved all-powerful.
Yet more striking is the difference in the quality of English and German theological thinking. German theology seems busied rather in the world of ideas, English theology in the world of facts. By this possibly misleading statement I mean that English theology is more direct and outspoken. I can concieve that to a German, English theology should seem somewhat rude and amateurish. In German theology the traditional forms of religious thought are subjected to a strain by which they become more and more attenuated. This may be illustrated by a remark which Pfleiderer makes in regard to Hoffman. "Hoffman's wish," he says, "to represent his teaching as essentially in accordance with the dogma of the Confessions can only be called a piece of strange self-deception. But his want of honesty towards himself and others, this concealment of the heresy of which he was really guilty, is so general a weakness among theologians, that we must not press it too much in relation to individuals." English liberal thought to a great extent troubles itself little about the technical forms of theological expression.
In the English Church the creeds often cover thinking which is extremely heretical; but this heretical thought is apt to disregard the creeds as though they were intended as articles of peace rather than of belief instead of expanding and attenuating them by philosophico-theological thought. The profounder thought of Germany may well inspire, as it has so often done, English and American theology; while perhaps the very bluntness and rudeness of English and American theology might influence for good the more subtle and philosophically trained German mind.
In conclusion, we most heartily commend this work to our readers as one that gives a better presentation of the later German theology than can be found elsewhere. Pfleiderer is one of the most genial and sympathetic of historians. He keeps himself and his personal biases largely in the background. When he makes a comment or criticism it shows common sense and religious interest rather the marks of any particular school or party.
It is to be regretted that the extremely important work of W. Robertson Smith on the Religion of the Semites and that of Edwin Hatch on the Influence of Greek Ideas and Usages upon the Christian Church, were published too late to be included in this work.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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