history of philosophy-第21章

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imaginations　and　in　its　exact　and　positive　histories；　so　that　we　require　first　of　all　to　dig　this　content
out　of　such　myths　in　the　form　of　theorems；　but　it　often　has　its　content　explicite　in　the　form　of
thought。　In　the　Persian　and　Indian　Religions　very　deep；　sublime　and　speculative　thoughts　are　even
expressed。　Indeed；　in　Religion　we　even　meet　philosophies　directly　expressed；　as　in　the　Philosophy
of　the　Fathers。　The　scholastic　Philosophy　really　was　Theology；　there　is　found　in　it　a　union　or；　if　you
will；　a　mixture　of　Theology　and　Philosophy　which　may　very　well　puzzle　us。　The　question　which
confronts　us　on　the　one　side　is；　how　Philosophy　differs　from　Theology；　as　the　science　of　Religion；
or　from　Religion　as　consciousness？　And　then；　in　how　far　have　we　in　the　history　of　Philosophy　to
take　account　of　what　pertains　to　Religion？　For　the　reply　to　this　last　question　three　aspects　have
again　to　be　dealt　with；　first　of　all　the　mythical　and　historical　aspect　of　Religion　and　its　relation　to
Philosophy；　in　the　second　place　the　theorems　and　speculative　thoughts　directly　expressed　in
Religion；　and　in　the　third　place　we　must　speak　of　Philosophy　within　Theology。

A。　Difference　between　Philosophy　and　Religion。

The　consideration　of　the　mythical　aspect　of　Religion　or　the　historical　and　positive　side　generally；　is
interesting；　because　from　it　the　difference　in　respect　of　form　will　show　in　what　this　content　is
antagonistic　to　Philosophy。　Indeed；　taken　in　its　connections；　its　difference　passes　into　apparent
inconsistency。　This　diversity　is　not　only　found　in　our　contemplation　but　forms　a　very　definite
element　in　history。　It　is　required　by　Philosophy　that　it　should　justify　its　beginning　and　its　manner　of
knowledge；　and　Philosophy　has　thus　placed　itself　in　opposition　to　Religion。　On　the　other　hand
Philosophy　is　combated　and　condemned　by　Religion　and　by　the　Churches。　The　Greek　popular
religion　indeed；　proscribed　several　philosophers；　but　the　opposition　is　even　more　apparent　in　the
Christian　Church。　The　question　is　thus　not　only　whether　regard　is　to　be　paid　to　Religion　in　the
history　of　Philosophy；　for　it　has　been　the　case　that　Philosophy　has　paid　attention　to　Religion；　and
the　latter　to　the　former。　Since　neither　of　the　two　has　allowed　the　other　to　rest　undisturbed；　we　are
not　permitted　to　do　so　either。　Of　their　relations；　therefore；　we　must　speak　definitely；　openly　and
honestly　…　aborder　la　question；　as　the　French　say。　We　must　not　hesitate；　as　if　such　a　discussion
were　too　delicate；　nor　try　to　help　ourselves　out　by　beating　about　the　bush；　nor　must　we　seek　to
find　evasions　or　shifts；　so　that　in　the　end　no　one　can　tell　what　we　mean。　We　must　not　seem　to　wish
to　leave　Religion　alone。　This　is　nothing　else　than　to　appear　to　wish　to　conceal　the　fact　that
Philosophy　has　directed　its　efforts　against　Religion。　Religion；　that　is；　the　theologians；　are　indeed　the
cause　of　this；　they　ignore　Philosophy；　but　only　in　order　that　they　may　not　be　contradicted　in　their
arbitrary　reasoning。

It　may　appear　as　if　Religion　demanded　that　man　should　abstain　from　thinking　of　universal　matters
and　Philosophy　because　they　are　merely　worldly　wisdom　and　represent　human　operations。　Human
reason　is　here　opposed　to　the　divine。　Men　are；　indeed；　well　accustomed　to　a　distinction　between
divine　teaching　and　laws　and　human　power　and　inventions；　such　that　under　the　latter　everything　is
comprehended　which　in　its　manifestation　proceeds　from　the　consciousness；　the　intelligence　or　the
will　of　mankind　which　makes　all　this　opposed　to　the　knowledge　of　God　and　to　things　rendered
divine　by　divine　revelation。　But　the　depreciation　of　what　is　human　expressed　by　this　opposition　is
then　driven　further　still；　inasmuch　as　while　it　implies　the　further　view　that　man　is　certainly　called
upon　to　admire　the　wisdom　of　God　in　Nature；　and　that　the　grain；　the　mountains；　the　cedars　of
Lebanon　in　all　their　glory；　the　song　of　the　birds　in　the　bough；　the　superior　skill　and　the　domestic
instincts　of　animals　are　all　magnified　as　being　the　work　of　God；　it　also　implies　that　the　wisdom；
goodness　and　justice　of　God　is；　indeed；　pointed　out　in　human　affairs；　but　not　so　much　in　the
disposition　or　laws　of　man　or　in　actions　performed　voluntarily　and　in　the　ordinary　progress　of　the
world；　as　in　human　destiny；　that　is；　in　that　which　is　external　and　even　arbitrary　in　relation　to
knowledge　and　free…will。　Thus　what　is　external　and　accidental　is　regarded　as　emphatically　the
work　of　God；　and　what　has　its　root　in　will　and　conscience；　as　the　work　of　man。　The　harmony
between　outward　relations；　circumstances　and　events　and　the　general　aims　of　man　is　certainly
something　of　a　higher　kind；　but　this　is　the　case　only　for　the　reason　that　this　harmony　is　considered
with　respect　to　ends　which　are　human　and　not　natural　such　as　those　present　in　the　life　of　a　sparrow
which　finds　its　food。　But　if　the　summit　of　everything　is　found　in　this；　that　God　rules　over　Nature；
what　then　is　free…will？　Does　He　not　rule　over　what　is　spiritual；　or　rather　since　He　himself　is
spiritual；　in　what　is　spiritual？　and　is　not　the　ruler　over　or　in　the　spiritual　region　higher　than　a　ruler
over　or　in　Nature？　But　is　that　admiration　of　God　as　revealed　in　natural　things　as　such；　in　trees　and
animals　as　opposed　to　what　is　human；　far　removed　from　the　religion　of　the　ancient　Egyptians；
which　derived　its　knowledge　of　what　is　divine　from　the　ibis；　or　from　cats　and　dogs？　or　does　it
differ　from　the　deplorable　condition　of　the　ancient　and　the　modern　Indians；　who　held　and　still　hold
cows　and　apes　in　reverence；　and　are　scrupulously　concerned　for　the　maintenance　and　nourishment
of　these　animals；　while　they　allow　men　to　suffer　hunger；　who　would　commit　a　crime　by　removing
the　pangs　of　starvation　through　their　slaughter　or　even　by　partaking　of　their　food？

It　seems　to　be　expressed　by　such　a　view　that　human　action　as　regards　Nature　is　ungodly；　that　the
operations　of　Nature　are　divine　operations；　but　what　man　produces　is　ungodly。　But　the
productions　of　human　reason　might；　at　least；　be　esteemed　as　much　as　Nature。　In　so　doing；
however；　we　cede　less　to　reason　than　is　permitted　to　us。　If　the　life　and　the　action　of　animals　be
divine；　human　action　must　stand　much　higher；　and　must　be　worthy　to　be　called　divine　in　an　infinitely
higher　sense。　The　pre…eminence　of　human　thought　must　forthwith　be　avowed。　Christ　says　on　this
subject　（Matt。　vi。　26…30）；　〃Behold　the　fowls　of　the　air；〃　（in　which　we　may　also　include　the　Ibis　and
the　Kokilas；）　〃are　ye　not　much　better　than　they？　Wherefore；　if　God　so　clothe　the　grass　of　the　field；
which　to…day　is；　and　to…morrow　is　cast　into　the　oven；　shall　He　not　much　more　clothe　you？〃　The
superiority　of　man；　of　the　image　of　God；　to　animals　and　plants　is　indeed　implicitly　and　explicitly
established；　but　in　asking　wherein　the　divine　element　is　to　be　sought　and　seen　…　in　making　use　of
such　expressions　…　none　of　the　superior；　but　only　the　inferior　nature；　is　indicated。　Similarly；　in
regard　to　the　knowledge　of　God；　it　is　remarkable　that　Christ　places　the　knowledge　of　and　faith　in
Him　not　in　any　admiration　of　the　creatures　of　nature　nor　in　marvelling　at　any　so…called　dominion
over　them；　nor　in　signs　and　wonders；　but　in　the　witness　of　the　Spirit。　Spirit　is　infinitely　high　above
Nature；　in　it　the　Divine　Nature　manifests　itself　more　than　in　Nature。

But　the　form　in　which　the　universal　content　which　is　in　and　for　itself；　first　belongs　to　Philosophy　is
the　form　of　Thought；　the　form　of　the　universal　itself。　In　Religion；　however；　this　content　is　for
immediate　and　outward　perception；　and　further　for　idea　and　sensation　through　art。　The　import　is
for　the　sensuous　nature；　it　is　the　evidence　of　the　Mind　which　comprehends　that　content。　To　make
this　clearer；　the　difference　must　be　recollected　between　that　which　we　are　and　have；　and　how　we
know　the　same　…　that　is；　in　what　manner　we　know　it　and　have　it　as　our　object。　This　distinction　is　an
infinitely　important　matter；　and　it　alone　is　concerned　in　the　culture　of　races　and　of　individuals。　We
are　men　and　have　reason；　what　is　human；　or　above　all；　what　is　rational　vibrates　within　us；　both　in
our　feelings；　mind　and　heart　and　in　our　subjective　nature　generally。　It　is　in　this　correspond