RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Ratherius Rationalism
RATIONALISM AND SUPERNATURALISM.
Origin of the Antithesis (§1). Limitation (§ 2). Two Periods (§ 3). I. Leibnitz- Wolffian.
Elements of Promotion (§1). Biblical Form (§ 2). Dogmatic and Eudemonistic (§3). Effect upon Religion (§ 4). Defense against Rationalism (§ 5).
II. Kantian.
Kant's Critique (§ 1).
Effect upon Theology (§ 2).
Differentiation (§3).
Post-Kantian Dogmatic Rationalism (§ 4).
Post-Kantian Biblical Rationalism (§5).
Reactionary Supernaturalism (§6).
Compromise and Overthrow (§ 7).
III. Critical Review.
IV. Supplemental.
Deistic Rationalism (§ 1).
Anti-Deistic Discussions (§ 2).
Prophetic and Evangelical Defense (§ 3).
Entrance of Scientific Method (§4).
Developments 1830-60 (§ 5).
Since 1860 (§ 6).
Rationalism connotes in philosophy the tendency of thought that lays special stress, not on the matter of experience, but on the products
i. Origin of the human reason, whether these of the consist of innate ideas or a priori con- Antithesis, cepts. The opposite principle is empiricism, which makes knowledge simply the reproduction of observed facts in their unity. In theology the term rationalism was first applied to criticism of church doctrine as practised by the Socinians and later by the deists. The real point of its application, however, is the stricter, scholastic form of_the__fchfiological enlightenment which was assumed in Germany in dependence upon the Wolffian and Kantian philosophies. Rationalism unites itself organically with a universal movement of emancipation from ecclesiastical authority, partly in progress beforehand, and partly contemporaneous, in France and England, but assuming its characteristic type from certain philosophical schools and the German formative environment as a whole. Rationalism in theology has in common with rationalism in philosophy the effort to derive the essential in religious knowledge from reason as an original source, instead of regarding it as something received from some other source. This is in the face of a traditional Protestant theology which maintained that God's revelation was absolutely given and that the employment of reason in dealing with it was instrumental and not critical or normative. Human reason was to engage itself with, and apply the accepted good, without addition or subtraction; but was not entitled to subject it to independent proof, to a resultant reduction, or other essential alteration. For in such case, exactly those elements of church belief would be most affected which were not included in universal thought, but rested wholly on divine revelation. In concentrating the defense of the system of church doctrine necessarily upon certain elements of religious truth held to be supernatural and superrational, there resulted for the opponents of the rationalistic criticism the name of supernaturalists. The first mention of the term that may be traced is in Sokratischen Unterhaltungen iiber das Aeltesteund Neueste aus der christlichen Welt (1789). The antithesis between the two involves the source, mediation, and appropriation of the knowledge of Christian truth. Supernatur-
2. Limi- alism bases Christianity upon an im-
tation. mediate and positive revelation of God. This consists of doctrines to be proclaimed for human salvation which are unattainable by reason of itself; they must be authenticated
by miracles and prophecies, and handed down by divinely originated Scriptures. This revelation demands an unconditional recognition of its authority. Rationalism, on the contrary, is convinced that man is pointed also, in satisfying his longing for God, to the use of the reason, which, if rightly employed, affords the knowledge of God in his omnipotent creation, merciful preservation, and just dispensation of reward and punishment. For man's moral nature and happiness no direct divine instruction beyond this is desirable. Miracles and prophecies are not conclusive; for moderate rationalism may exercise a certain measure of indulgence toward what is offered by church tradition, or may even appropriate the same, if this is possible in accordance with its own criteria; but strict rationalism acknowledges no religious knowledge except what is begotten of reason. The question is one of authority: supernaturalism adheres to revelation, rationalism to reason, to determine the content and limit of religious truth. A point in common, however, is the intellectualistic conception of the content of religion. Supernaturalism however does not sound the entire Biblical and Reformation depth and fulness of Christian faith, for instead of unfolding the equation, as given in faith, of the person, free or bound, to the vital movement of revelation, out of the nature of the case, it labors under the burden of establishing the plausibility of an authoritative doctrine. While rationalism represents a one-sided yet clear and simple principle, supernaturalism scarcely escapes the contradiction of submitting its content as teachable doctrine and yet withholding it from the test of reason. Kant pointed out that rationalism and supernaturalism are not mutually exclusive. After his view, a rationalist may be one who holds only a natural religion as morally necessary; a supernaturalist, one who holds belief in a supernatural divine revelation for a universal religion to be necessary. A critical rationalism does not involve necessarily the denial of the reality of all supernatural revelation; such should rather be termed naturalism. Rationalism as such does not dispute the truth and value of revelation per se, but only its claim to absolute authority; while supernaturalism does not contest the competence of the reason absolutely in matters of the religious life, only its right of preestablishing religious truth from itself. While at both extremes, the contradiction was held to be irreconcilable, yet this was more the result of an emphasis of feeling than intellectual discrimination of difference. In order to save its foothold in the Church rationalism knew how to com-
Rationalism