Studies in Christian Philosophy, being the Boyle Lectures, 1920

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THIS book may be commended to the notice of such as wish to know what can be said by a theologian possessing the broad outlook of the philosopher, and equipped with a knowledge of recent philosophical literature, as to the intellectual claims of Christian theism; it represents a good type of the kind of justification of theistic belief with which a Christian would desire thoughtful inquirers to be acquainted. It does not profess to break new ground, and, save for reflections on minor points, it does not offer critical or constructive contributions such as have not in essence been made before; but it is characterised by ability in a degree sufficient to engender curiosity as to its possible sequels, at which its author hints. If, in a later volume, the author intends to deal with the Christological problem on lines suggested by his remark (p. 54) that Christian theology has often treated the relation of Jesus to the Father “as a puzzle in ontology rather than a moral fact,” his future readers will be interested to see how he will avoid the ontological issue, and how, in emphasising the moral aspect of the relation in question, he will evade difficulties in connection with theodicy. Another obiter dictum (p. 164) concerning the reconcilability of the tritheistic and the modalistic or Unitarian interpretations of the doctrine of the Trinity arouses a similar curiosity; and if the author's hope of effecting such a reconciliation be based on his objection (p. 226) to the distinction between adjectival and substantival existence as a misleading one, it may be worth while to point out to him beforehand that the objection which he has urged does not apply to the real distinction, without which logic would become impossible, but only to a perverse misrepresentation or obliteration of it. Studies in Christian Philosophy, being the Boyle Lectures, 1920. By the Rev. Prof W. R. Matthews. Pp. xiv + 231. (London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1921.). 12s. net.