New form of eclecticism under the empire (p. [302]), viz. the historic method, based on Hegel, as Cousin's was based on Schelling.—E. Renan the type. (pp. [302]-304.)
Free thought in the Protestant church (pp. [304], [305]) regarded as an attempt to meet by concession doubts of contemporaries.
Lecture VIII.
Free Thought in England in the present century: Summary of the Course of Lectures: and Inferences in reference to present dangers and duties.
Modern unbelief in England (continued from Lect V.):—Introductory remarks on the alteration of its tone. (pp. [306], [307].)—The cause of [pg xli] which is stated to be a general one, the subjective tone created (p. [308]) by such influences as, (1) the modern poetry (p. [309]), and (2) the two great attempts by Bentham and Coleridge to reconstruct philosophy. (pp. [309], [310].)
The doubt and unbelief treated in the following order (p. [311]):
(1) That which appeals to Sensational experience and to Physical science as the test of truth; viz. (α) Positivism among the educated (p. [312]). (β) Secularism or Naturalism among the masses (p. [313]); and in a minor degree, (γ) The doubts created by Physical science (p. [314]). (2) That which appeals to the faculty of Intuition (p. [315]);—expressed in literature, by Carlyle, (pp. [316], [317]); and by the American, Emerson. (p. [317].) Influence also of the modern literature of romance, (p. [318].) (3) Direct attacks on Christianity, critical rather than philosophical: viz. (α) The examination of the historic problem of the development of religious ideas among the Hebrews, by R. W. Mackay (pp. [319], [320]). (β) A summary of objections to revelation, by Mr. Greg, The Creed of Christendom (p. [321]). (γ) The examination of the psychical origin of religion and Christianity, by Miss S. Hennell, Thoughts in aid of Faith, (p. [323].) (4) The deism, and appeal to the Intuitional consciousness, expressed by Mr. Theodore Parker (pp. [325], [326]), and Mr. F. Newman (pp. [326-329]). (5) The traces of free thought within the Christian church (p. [330]); viz.: (α) The philosophical tendency which originates with Coleridge. (pp. [330-333].) (β) The critical tendency, investigating the facts of revelation. (pp. [334-336].) (γ) The critical tendency, the literature which contains it. (pp. [336], [337].)
This completes the history of the fourth crisis of faith (p. [339]), the history of which began near the end of Lect. III. at p. [105].
Summary of the course of lectures. (pp. [339-41].)—Recapitulation of the original purpose, which is stated to have been, while assuming the potency of the moral, to analyse the intellectual causes of doubt, which have been generally left uninvestigated.
Refutation of objections which might be made; such as