The Churches and Modern Thought / An inquiry into the grounds of unbelief and an appeal for candour

by Vivian Phelips

• § 1. [Preliminary Remarks]
  • [The Doctrine of Evolution] 169
  • [Darwinism] 171
  • [The Average Person’s Ideas on the Evolution of Man] 173
  • [The Attitude of the Church] 175
• § 2. “[Nature Red in Tooth and Claw]” 180
• § 3. [The Bible Account of Creation Irreconcilable with Science in Each and Every Respect] 188
• § 4. [Proofs of our Animal Origin] 197
  • [The Extraordinary Affinity of Bodily Structure] 198
  • [The Revelations of Embryology] 202
  • [The Tale Told by the Useless Rudimentary Organs] 205
• § 5. [The Overthrow of the Doctrines of the Fall and Original Sin]
  • [The Importance of the Question] 208
  • [An Instructive Criticism] 211
  • [The Bishop of Worcester’s Theory] 213
  • [The Archdeacon of Manchester’s Theory] 216
  • [The Rationalist’s Theory] 218
  • [Conclusions] 218

Chapter VI.

[THE FAILURE OF THEISTIC ARGUMENTS]

• § 1. [Preliminary Remarks]
  • [Theism, and Who Are Theists] 219
• § 2. [The Existence of a First Cause—An Uncaused Cause] 221
• § 3. [The First Cause an Intelligence] 223
  • [Design and Directivity] 223
  • [Directivity] 224
  • [Design] 225
  • [Differences of Opinion Among Theistic Apologists] 228
• § 4. [The First Cause a Beneficent Intelligence]
  • [A Personal God] 230
  • [Divine Immanence in Nature] 231
  • [A Fact in History] 232
  • [The Past and Present Position of the Ethical Argument] 234
  • [Evil for which Man is not Held Responsible] 235
  • [Evil for which Man is Held Responsible] 240
  • [Conscience] 243
  • [Free-will] 247
• § 5. [Religious Experience]
  • [Mysticism and Conversion] 251
  • [The Psychology of Prayer] 258
  • [The Religious (?) Experiences of Intoxication] 261
  • [Music and the Emotions] 261
  • [Sexual Love] 263
  • [Revivalism] 263
• § 6. [The Inevitable Conclusion] 264
• [Note on Religion and Philosophy] 266

Chapter VII.

[FALLACIES IN POPULAR ARGUMENTS]

• § 1. [Preliminary Remarks—The Power of Christianity for Good] 273
• § 2. [Christianity Woman’s Best Friend] 277
• § 3. [The Overthrow of Christianity Would Endanger Society and the Nation] 286
• § 4. [The Spread of Christianity a Proof of its Truth] 290
• § 5. [The Noble Army of Martyrs] 296
• § 6. [The Universality of the Religious Instinct]
  • [The Hypothesis Stated] 298
  • [The Rationalist’s Contention] 299
  • [The Apologist’s Views concerning Superstition and the Religious Instinct] 300
  • [Beliefs of Savage Man] 302
  • [Magic and Religion] 305
  • [Religion in Modern China] 307
  • [Apostates in Christendom] 311
  • [Religion in Modern Japan] 313
  • [Classical History] 314
• [Note on Human Sentiment as to a Future Life] 315

Chapter VIII.

[CONCLUSION]

• § 1. [A Summary] 317
• § 2. [Why Lead a Moral Life?]
  • [Preliminary Remarks] 323
  • [The Necessity for Morality] 324
  • [Uselessness of Vague Threats] 326
  • [The Need for an Early Education in Ethical Principles] 327
  • [The Object-Lesson Furnished by the Japanese] 328
  • [Criminality] 333
  • [Our Aids] 335
  • [The Importance of a Knowledge of the Origin of Morality] 337
  • [Opinions of Ethicists] 339
• [Note on Systematic Moral Instruction] 345
• § 3. [Should the Truth be Told?] 346
  • (a) “[Magna est veritas et prævalebit]” 347
  • (b) [Obscurantism has had its Day] 349
  • (c) [The Effect on Morality] 352
  • (d) [The Real Danger] 352
  • (e) [The Consolations of Belief, and the Distress we may Cause by our Candour] 353
  • (f) [Can we Alter People’s Beliefs?] 359
  • (g) [Can Beliefs be Useful though False?] 361
  • (h) [Is a New Religion Required?] 362
  • (i) [Why be so Impatient of Error?] 364
• § 4. [The Outlook] 365
• § 5. [Concluding Remarks] 375