We submitted this letter to our reviewer and have pleasure in printing his reply.?Ed.
The ” outworn theology ” to which I referred in my review is that which is based on a conception of God as a jealous deity easily moved to wrath and vengeance?a theology involving patriarchal attitudes seen mainly in the Old Testament, and still held by a small minority of religious groups. The ” new ” theology, revealed by the life, teaching and death of Christ as described in the New Testament does not conflict with the findings of psychological science in the view of an increasing number of medical and non-medical psychologists.
Many hard words were said about Darwin. His chief protagonist, Huxley, dealt with a number of them especially in his famous debate with Wilberforce. Freud also incurred the opprobium of most of his critics, both within and without the medical profession, but I agree that ” persecution” is perhaps too strong a word and is often associated with heresy hunting. To traditional orthodox opinion, however, Freud and Darwin were both heretics.
With regard to the incidence of professed religion in the normal population, it all depends on whether the patients were nominal or practising Christians. If the total figures of church attendances were to be taken over the last fifty years then many people who ” profess ” religion nowadays do not practise it, at least not in a group sense. If every place of worship had only half of its professed adherents in attendance once a week, then our churches would be in a flourishing state indeed. It is most likely, however, that the Marriage Guidance Centre in London, which has such strong church connections, did carefully differentiate between nominal and practising Christians and did not classify every client describing himself as ” C. of E.” as ” professing to religion “. The explanation of the high percentage referred to, may moreover lie in another direction?viz. that people in this category are likely to be specially concerned about a right marriage relationship in view of their conception of what constitutes a true marriage.
Your reviewer would assure his critic that he shares the conviction that in such a marriage a live healthy religion is an important factor and plays a vital part in producing stability and happiness. A.T..
Further correspondence on this subject is invited.?Ed.
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