Elements of the Science of Religion: Ontological, being the Gifford lectures delivered before the University of Edinburgh in 1898W. Blackwood and sons, 1899 - Religion |
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Common terms and phrases
A. J. Balfour according adoration æsthetic Ahura Mazda animistic answer authority Avesta awakened beautiful belief belong Buddhism Christian church civilisation communion conceptions of faith consciousness conviction cosmogony creed deity development of religion divine dogmas domain earth element Elohim essence of religion ethical religions evil existence express fact feel finite Gifford Lectures gods heaven higher human idea ideal imagination Infinite kind knowledge least LECTURE less ligion magical man's manifestations mankind Max Müller means ment merely mind moral myths nature naturistic object observances origin of religion perception perfect perhaps persons Pfleiderer phenomena philosophy pious polytheism possess prayer prophets purely question Rauwenhoff recognised regard relation religious doctrine reverence sacred sacrifice satisfied science of religion scientific seek sense sentiment solely soul spirit stage superhuman power theology theory things thought TIELE tion true truth utterance whole words worship Yahve Yazatas Zarathushtrian Zeus
Popular passages
Page 43 - And though it may seem to savour of paradox, it is yet no exaggeration to say that, if we would find the quality in which we most notably excel the brute creation, we should look for it not so much in our faculty of convincing and being convinced by the exercise of reasoning, as in our capacity for influencing and being influenced through the action of Authority
Page 230 - Je ne puis; — malgré moi l'infini me tourmente. Je n'y saurais songer sans crainte et sans espoir; Et, quoi qu'on en ait dit, ma raison s'épouvante De ne pas le comprendre, et pourtant de le voir.
Page 152 - Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
Page 230 - because such perception requires a considerable measure of self-knowledge and reflection, which is only attainable long after religion has come into existence, long after the religious spirit has revealed itself. The origin of religion consists in the fact that man has the Infinite within him, even before he is himself conscious of it, whether he recognizes it or not.
Page 136 - From the earliest times religion, as distinct from magic or sorcery, addresses itself to kindred and friendly beings, who may indeed be angry with their people for a time, but are always placable except to the enemies of their worshippers or to renegade members of the community. It is not with a vague fear of unknown powers, but with a loving reverence for known gods who are knit to their worshippers by strong bonds of kinship, that religion in the only true sense of the word begins.
Page 233 - It is man's original, unconscious, innate sense of infinity that gives rise to his first stammering utterances of that sense, and to all his beautiful dreams of the past and future.
Page 42 - Reason. truder, to be jealously hunted down and mercilessly expelled. Reason, and reason only, can be safely permitted to mould the convictions of mankind. By its inward counsels alone should beings who boast that they are rational submit to be controlled. Sentiments like these are among the commonplaces of political and social philosophy. Yet, looked at scientifically, they seem to me to be, not merely erroneous, but absurd.
Page 135 - ... of religion. From the earliest times religion as distinct from magic or sorcery addresses itself to kindred and friendly beings, who may indeed be angry with their people for a time, but are always placable except to the enemies of their worshippers or to renegade members of the community
Page 199 - with all one's heart and soul and mind and strength.' To adore is to give oneself, with all that one has and holds dearest. But at the same time—and herein consists its other phase—adoration includes a desire to possess the adored object, to call it entirely one's own...