William G. T. Shedd, Theological Essays
Solid Ground Christian Books; reprint, Scribner, Armstrong & Co., 1877.
Summary: Seven articles developing an Augustinian response to modernity (note the publishing date).
The Method, and Influence of Theological Studies:
“He who would obtain correct views in political or natural science, as well as he who would be a mind of power and depth in the sphere of literature; in short, the student generally; has a vital interest in the truths of supernatural science” (48).
The Nature, and Influence of the Historic Spirit:
“It begins to be seen that the harmony between philosophy and Christianity is not to be brought about, by first assuming that the infallibility is on the side of the human reason; and that, too, as it appears in a single and particular philosophical system; and then insisting that all the adjustments, conformity, and coalescence, shall be on the side of the Divine revelation” (101).
The Idea of Evolution Defined, and Applied to History:
“The definition of Evolution by Herbert Spencer, as ‘the development of the homogeneous into the heterogeneous,’ is exactly wrong” (158).
The Doctrine of Original Sin:
“The characteristic of the Will proper, as distinguished from the volitionary faculty, is determination of the whole being to an ultimate end, rather than selection of means for attaining that end in a particular case” (234). Ft. “This distinction between Will proper, and the faculty of choices, is marked in Latin by two words, Voluntas and Abritrium. . .”
The Atonement a Satisfaction for the Ethical Nature of Both God and Man:
“Even if he should be renewed and sanctified by the Spirit of God, this sanctification has in it nothing expiatory, or correlative to guilt, and therefore could not remove [the sinner’s] remorse. Food is good and necessary, but it cannot slake thirst. Personal holiness is excellent and indispensable, but it cannot perform the function of atonement” (301).
Symbols and Congregationalism:
“It is not enough, in the present condition of Christendom, for an individual to point to the word of God, as it lies upon the table, saying: ‘My doctrinal belief is between those covers. . .’” (338).
Clerical Education:
“Modern infidelity assumes a greater variety of forms than the ancient, although its essential character remains the same. . . It involves the relation of Ethics to Christianity. In our country, in particular, this form of infidelity associates itself, parasitically, with the reformation of society, and thereby becomes doubly dangerous to the Christian church, which ever takes a deep interest in the removal of social evils” (373).
Benefits/Detriments: A refreshing and historic consideration of the above listed topics. Because Shedd grasps the marrow of infidelity and the source of truth, his writings are incredibly relevant to today.