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Feringer Notes - CIRCULATION OF THOUGHT - 1954 62 of 65
that of some power outside us that tells us what is just and good.
...you need a theology and not a philosophy to interpret the relation of authority to the people
who have to obey. (p.17)
11.Religion means ---
"...the ties which work with the rest of the world, with our children, with our friends, with the
government, with society...Theology improves religion. Science improves practice." (p.17)
There is another important distinction to be remembered. With philosophy there is no admonition
to act, only to think. It is the life of the mind that makes up that world. With religion one must
act, get involved, participate in the community life.
In science one discovers the laws of nature. In theology one establishes concrete goals and strives
to change in conscious ways. That is, in religion one both discovers and establishes rules. For
instance, a scientific psychologist attempts to discover how humans "will" act.A religiously
oriented person attempts to discover how humans "ought" to act.Because humans are part animal
(i.e. natural), and part capable of being creative (i.e. part god), our behavior will be derived from
both sources. But consciousness of the difference is crucial.
It seems obvious there is no separation betweens the authority of theology and that of secular
rules. Most decisions should follow part of each.For instance, the Council of Nicaea in 787
determined that the state has the right to determine rules governing inheritance and other aspects
of the disposition of physical property.The church was to decide who would get married and to
pronounce the moral legitimacy of certain types of relationships.
12.There is little fundamental difference between Catholicism and Protestantism. Protestantism
began at that moment in history when the correction of theology was put into the hands of all the
members of the group.It represented a new approach, a sociological one if you will, as to the how
basic religious doctrine would be interpreted. The Christian content, however, remains the same
in both.
"We cannot afford any longer in the year 1954 to believe in the eternal separation of Roman
Catholics and Protestants. ...In a world in which nine-tenths of the people believe in nothing, the
one-tenth cannot split itself into 10 different groups and say of each other they don't believe in
anything.(p.22)
...put Protestantism and Catholicism in its time sequence.The time sequence is that Protestantism
completes, not the religious, but the theological cycle that was started with Anselm of
Canterbury, that what Anselm and Abelard did was done by the few for the priests, that was
given, in Protestantism, to everyone. (p.23)
12.Religion and theology constantly need improving, just as science and practice need it.