December 1924
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Tke Modern Movement in Religion An Interview by Cromwell Childe with Dr. Geo. W. McPherson, Noted Author, and President of the “ Old Tent Evangel Tabernacle” of New York City.
college professor.’ But it is more (han a product of „evolution, for an evolutionist may be a believer in a supernatural religion, and in some cases they are. Every
This interview defines the words and terms of the modern religious controversy now develop ing in this country, with information as to the alignment of the sects in America, their division and their relative power.
XACTLY what do these w o r d s “ Modernist,” “ Fundam en ta l! s t ” mean? What is this trouble in the churches that is
thing Voltaire, Hume, Paine, Ingersoll and the rationalists of the nineteenth century stood for, Modernism practically stands for in essence, though in its present garb it is dressed up in the robes of Christian ethics. In religion it assumes various guises or aspects and is a sort of hydra-headed monster. “ To the Catholic, his Church, in the decision of her Coun cils, is the only basis of authority in Christianity. This is a comforting view to those who believe the Church to be infallible /1 and who are satisfied to have others do their thinking for them. “ The Evangelical Protestant world has always contended that the Bible is their sole basis of authority, since they hold the Bible to be a special, unique revelation of Divine truth and therefore the court of final appeal. They reason thus: What can be higher than God’s Word, or what can equal it? Believing the Bible to be the highest source of knowledge of the personal God, the revelation of the super natural, and the Divine means of spiritual experience, and that there is no other revelation of God, aside from what the universe suggests and confirms, Protestants logically hold that the Bible must be their one and only authority in ' the Christian religion.” Question 3. Have evangelical Christians always held this view, and do they differ among themselves in their inter pretations of the Bible? If this is the case, how then can the Bible be to them the basis of authority in the Christian Religion ? A n sw er: ‘.‘This is a thoughtful and proper question. Yes, it is true that the Bible has always been viewed by evangelical Christians as the supreme authority in the Christian religion. This has, been true of them from Luther’s day to the present. And, I might add, this was thie view held by Jesus and His apostles, for they buttressed and reinforced the truth of the revelations they received from God and gave to men, by making use of the Old Testament. Because evangelical Protestants always held this view they have therefore always been Fundamentalists. “ Of course, it is true that Protestants have always dif fered and always will differ as to what some, call ‘non- essentials.’ But regarding the great essentials of the faith, the outstanding New Testament doctrines and truths con cerning Christ, the vast body of Protestants, as represented in their creeds or declarations of faith, have always been a unit regarding all these great matters. In essentials they enjoy unity, in non-essentials they learned to practice char ity and liberty. “ Of course, the Unitarians are an exception to what I have just stated. But Unitarians cannot rightly be classed as Protestants, for they reject the Deity and vicarious sac rifice of Jesus Christ, consequently they are more Jewish or Mohammedan in faith than Christian. This small sect has nothing in common with evangelical Christians, except our principals of religious and political liberty, and there is no good reason why they should not cast in their lot with our Jewish brethren. (Continued on page 812)
the chief news subject in New York? What is the Modern Movement in religion, how strong, how widely spread? It does not seem that there could be a bigger, more vital topic than this. It transcends even national policies. I have asked, therefore,, a series , of questions of the man who seems the best qualified to answer them, practically and without prejudice, President of Old Tent Evangel Taber nacle, New York, which each summer ministers to two hun dred thousand people, Dr. George W. McPherson of Yon kers, N. Y. He has just issued a book on “ The Modern Mind and the. Virgin Birth.” I haye quoted Dr. McPherson closely and carefully. The answers he has given me he alone is responsible for, I feel that they are history-making, because they concisely define. Question 1. What is Modernism and what is Funda mentalism? Answer: “ You reveal good sense in asking that I define these terms. The need of the hour is accurate definitions of these terms. I believe if the average man knew what these names signify the common people would quickly settle this conflict for us. / “Modernism is a good term and was coined by Pope Pius IX to describe the teachings of professors who were dis- jmissed from Catholic universities in Europe. According to the Pope’s ‘Encyclical’ it stands for an attitude of mind Jwhich rejects the authority of both the Scriptures and the Catholic Church. This term has been taken over by the Protestants, and, to them, it signifies an attitude of mind I which rejects the Bible as the basi^ of authority in the I Christian Religion, and which views the individual as the \ sole basis of authority. It signifies the supremacy of 'reason as above the Bible or a supernatural revelation. /■ “ Fundamentalism is also a good term, though some pro cess to reject it, even though they believe in common the Isame things accepted by Fundamentalists. This term was /coined by Rev. Curtis Lee Laws, Editor of the Watchman- |Examiner, New Ycrk. It was intended by its author to I signify those outstanding doctrines and truths of Chris- ' tianity, :r the Inspiration of the Bible, Salvation by grace through' faith, the Virgin Birth, Deity, Atonement, Bodily Resurrection and Personal Coming of Christ, as the funda mentals of Christianity, and implies that Christians of every ichurch should contend for these doctrines at all cost.” Question 2. What then would you say is the crux of the present controversy? Answer: “ This question I have tried to answer in my book ‘The Modern Mind and the Virgin Birth.’ It is almost wholly a question as to what constitutes authority in the Christian religion. As to this there are three views con tending for the mastery— the Protestant, the Catholic and the Modernist view. “ Modernism says, the individual is the only authority. This, it is seen, is no authority at all for it means anarchy in religion, the very thing Modernism is producing in the churches. It should not be forgotten that Modernism is a by-product of evolution and, historically, as Dr. A. C. Dixon said: ‘is one part beast, two parts devil, and three parts )
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