misunderstood his doctrine as much as the Pelagians
Bergier, Diet, de Theologie, iii, 394 sq. (Comp. Barrow, Works, ii, 47; Palmer, Church of Christ, i, 252-58, 321 sq.) See Will.
Indifferentism (indiffereniismus), a word much used
I. By the theologians of Germany to denote (1.) that state of mind whicli looks upon all religions (e. g. Chris- tianity and Mohammedanism) as alike valuable or ^al- ueless 111 proportion as they agree with natural relig- ion ; (2.) that state of mind which, carelessly admitting the truth of Christianity, holds that all discussion as to its doctrines is unimportant. An astonishing number of books has been written upon this subject. See Bud- deus, Institt. Theol. Dof/mut. p. GO ; Bretschneider, Sys- tem. Enttrickeliinf/. \\ 13 ; Schubert, Institt. Theol. Polem. i, 5G9; Sack, Christliche Polemik, p. 65; Herzog, Real- Encyklop. vi, 657 ; and a full list of books on the subject in Danz, Universcd-Worterbuch, ]i. 449 sq. See Intol- erance ; Latitudinarianism ; Toleration.
II. Tne term is used also to denote that form of infi- delity, or semi-infidelity, which holds that man is not responsible for his beUefs. " Gibbon, speaking of the paganism of ancient Kome, says, ' The various modes of worship which prevailed in the Koman world were all considered by the people as equally true, by the jihilos- opher as equally false, and by the magistrate as equally useful.' The comment of some one is, 'After eighteen centuries of the (^rosi)cl, we seem unhappily to be com- ing back to the same point.' A very weakened sense of responsiiiility, or an actual denial of it, lies at the bot- tom of that indifferentism which is so extensively prev- alent in the present age. On the Continent, especially in Germany and France, not only are opinions destruc- tive of the sense of responsibility widely diffused among the masses, but in the case of vast multitudes, who would not wish to be counted the foes of Christianity, there is an utter absence of anything like the religious obligation of belief. There is also a great deal of this
INDIFFERENTISM
5G2
INDRA
kind of infidelity in England and America. It is stated, or implied, in much of our current popular literature, that a man's creed doss not depend upon himself. This dogma pervades the writings of i\Ir. Emerson. Napo- leoTi, one of his ' representative men,' of whom he tells • horrible anecdotes,' must not, in his view, ' be set down as cruel, but only as one who knew no impediment to his will.' He depicts him as an 'exorbitant egotist, who narrowed, impoverished, and absorbed the power and existence of those who served him ; and concludes by saying, ' it was not Bonaparte's fault.' He thus con- demns and acquits in the same breath, sends forth from the same fountain sweet water and bitter. ]\Ir. Theo- dore Parker makes each form of religion that has lig- ured in the history of the world ' natural and indispens- able.' ' It could not have been but as it was.' And, therefore, he finds truth, or the ' absolute religion,' in all forms ; ' all tending towards one great and beautiful end' {Discourse of Religion, p. 81). Of course, the idea of the religious obligation of belief resting upon the in- dividual conscience is here quite out of ([uestion. ]Mr. F. W. Newman, who is so fond of parting off things that most men connect together, would persviade us that there may be a true faith without a true belief, as if the emo- tional part of our nature was independent of the intel- lectual. ' Belief,' says he, ' is one thing, and faith an- other.' And he complains of those who, on religious grounds, are alienated from him because he has adopted 'intellectual conclusions' different from theirs — 'the dif- ference between them and him' turning merely ' on ques- tions of learning, history, criticism, and abstract thought' {Phases of Faith. Preface). The philosophy is as bad liere as the theology. In the view of common sense and Scripture, a living faith is as the doctrine believed. But 'Sir. Xcwman, in common with 5Ir. Parker and oth- ers, can lay down his offensive weajions when he wills, and take up a position on the low ground of indifference as to religious belief. Then, creeds become matters of mere moonshine, and responsibility is regarded as a fic- tion invented by priests. This is part of the bad theol- ogy of Mr. Bailey's ' Festus.' The hero of the poem is made to say,
" 'Yet merit or demerit none I see In nature, human or material, In passions or affections good or bad. We only know that God's best purposes Are oftenest brought about by dreadesc sins. Is thunder evil, or is dew divine ? Does virtue lie in sunshine, sin In storm? Is uot each natural, each needful, best ?'
The theory of this infidelity appears to be that man has no control over his belief, that he is no more responsi- ble for his opinions than he is for his color or his height, and that an infidel or an atheist is to be pitied but not blamed. This, we are persuaded, is a piece of flimsy sophistry which no man should utter, anil which would not be listened to for a moment in connection with any other subject than that of religion. It would bo con- demned in the senate and at tlie bar, it would he drown- ed in the tumult of the exchange and the market-place. Common sense, and a regard to worldly interests, woidd rise up and hoot down the traitor. Unfortunately, how- ever, in the province of religion, the natural indisposi- tion of tlie mind to things unseen and spiritual allies it- self with the pleadings of the sophist, and receives his doctrine of irresponsibility with sometliing like flatter- ing unction. Nothing more than this is recpiisite to un- dermine the foundation of all religious belief and mor- als, to let oi)en tlie floodgates of immorality, and to make the restraints of religion like the brittle flax or the yielding sand. In opposition to such latitudinarian- ism,we maintain that man is responsible for the dispo- sitions which he cherishes, for the ojjinions which he holds and avows, and for his habitual conduct. Tliis is going the whole length of Scripture, but no farther, whicli utiirms that every one of us must give an account of himself unto (Jod. And this meets witli a response from amid the elements of man's moral nature, whicli