As mentioned, the Philosophy of History divides in four : the Oriental World, the Grecian World, the Roman World, the Germanic World. Contents of Philosophy of Religion are given briefly on pp. 254, 255. Comparing the three schemes, we should arrange as follows: : CHAPTER XV HEGELIANISM AND CHRISTIANITY LITERATURE.-A. Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion.1 C. Dr. J. Caird's Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion; or Sterrett's; Dr. E. Caird's Evolution of Religion; Dr. Fairbairn's Hegel's Philosophy of Religion-summary and comment in the Chicago Series; Mr. M'Taggart's Essay in Hegelian Cosmology; etc. THE first part of all in the Philosophy of Religion is an abstract analysis of the "Conception of Religion." While of course this refers to religion in general, it seems fair to connect it in a peculiar sense with "Absolute Religion," which comes after rather than in the sequence of the world's faiths ("Definite Religion"). The regular exposition of each of the great religious systems begins with discussing its " conception." We may take it then that the Conception 1 Abridged contents of the Philosophy of Religion— Introduction; A. (I., II., III.), B. C. (“Division of the Subject "). Part I. The Conception of Religion, A. God, B. Religion, C. Worship. Part II. Definite Religion. First Division. The Religion of Nature. I. Immediate Religion. (a) Magic. of Religion is most fully carried out in its highest type-in Absolute Religion; and absolute religion isat least in some sense-Christianity. Or the " conception" gives the first rough sketch; "definite" religion fills in details from history; and "absolute" religion gathers up the final synthesis. Hegel's analysis of the conception of religion begins with the objective thought of God. The truth which he finds contained in Pantheism-the assertion of a unity below all differences, of an absolute principle to which every phenomenon is relative-is, he holds, the primary truth in religion. But (B) this is only a half-truth. The subjective spirit of man has its rights [or, as Hegel puts this, with one of his questionable translations, God Himself is knowing Spirit]. In modern times especially, it would be useless to try to ignore the rights of subjectivity. Hence the modern speaks of religion rather than of God; he prefers to discuss the necessity of religion rather than investigate the proofs which are offered in support of the Being of God. But Hegel's way of showing the necessity of religion is to re-state the old argument for idealism, with the old difficulties and II. The Division of Consciousness within itself. 1. [Chinese Religion]; the Religion of Measure. (a) Its conception. (b) Its historical existence. (c) Cultus. 2. [Brahmanism]; the Religion of Imagination; (a), (b), (c), nearly as in the last. 3. [Buddhism]; the Religion of Being-withinitself; (a), (b), (c). III. [Transitional Forms-Persia, Syria, Egypt.] Second Division; the Religion of Spiritual Individuality [Judaism, Greece, Rome]. Part III. Absolute Religion. the old ambiguities. If all things imply the great unity, it is also true that all things imply thought. (C) Religion (man in the presence of God) implies a sort of double consciousness; worship is the return to unity; worship or cultus represents the consciousness of oneness with the Divine under the limits of religious experience and in the forms which are possible for religion as contrasted with speculative thought. In point of fact, Religion to Hegel is the plain man's organon for the all-importance of thought or for the sense of unity. The complementary truth-the importance of difference: the necessity of things to thought —is found developed in the State; religion or the Church cannot grasp it. Therefore the State stands highest; it is the supreme, the absolute realisation of reason. For of course the State does not stand for nature in contrast with spirit-for difference in abstract separation from unity. The State is nature become. spiritual; unity in difference. Religion, on the contrary, is only a witness for one aspect of truth-for unity, for the claims of thought. These positions are not without importance for the subject to which we now turn. Having glanced briefly in the previous chapter at Hegel's treatment of the historical sequence of religions, we are henceforth to confine ourselves to that one religion which Hegel is good enough to term "absolute religion." Such an expression warrants us in giving it separate treatment. And we have further warrant for doing this in the fact that the Philosophy of Spirit introduces “revealed " religion —and it alone—into its system; or, as we have already expressed it, dismisses the world's faiths as prehistoric rather than historic-embryonic and not even childish. Of course in another sense we break decisively with Hegel when we draw such a line between Christianity and the “creeds outworn." It is part of the essence of his thinking that there can be no absolute division, in regard either to origin or quality, between the other faiths of mankind and that faith which dominates the modern world. This postulate of Hegel's is repugnant to ordinary Christian thinking. It will be found stated in the most persuasive and attractive form in Dr. John Caird's Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion. Principal Caird shows plainly that, if we are intelligent in our acceptance of the conception of evolution, we need not fear that novelty will be denied to the higher stages when compared with the lower. On the contrary, it is the very essence of an evolution that it involves fresh progress and new advance. Accordingly, on Hegelian premises, Christianity must be conceived not simply as recapitulating but as transcending in worth the earlier faiths of the world. So far as this point is concerned, the way may be clear enough for a friendly alliance between Christian faith and idealist philosophy. But there are other very grave difficulties. Christianity regards the world's religious history as being not a normal evolution, but distorted to an indefinite degree by sin. Christians believe they have evidence in revelation and experience that God has done more for them than merely perfect the world's defective evolution-that God was in Christ more intimately and personally than He was present to other devout and humble minds. To Christians, some particular facts are vital. "If Christ is not risen, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." To Hegel the idea of Christ is more significant than any questions |