The Historical Element in Religion : Lewis Fry Lectures

First published in 1935, The Historical Element in Religion explains the Historical Element as arising from the religious man’s interest in the past of a community of which in his religious life he feels himself to be a part, so that its past is, although not remembered by him as an individual, yet in a real sense his own. It is thus not a disinterested scientific curiosity in the past as such, apart from any special concern of one’s own, but is rooted in the sense of continuity of certain past events with one’s personal religious experience. Although such an element is perhaps not wholly lacking in any religion, its importance relatively to other elements differs in different religions and is at its maximum in Christianity. Owning to the progress in modern times, especially among Christians, of more critical methods of dealing with historical evidence generally, there have been brought forward arguments tending to depreciate the importance of the historical element in religion and some of these are examined and discussed. The final chapter applies the conclusions reached to the consideration of certain alleged historical events, belief in the occurrence of which has been by some held to be essential to the Christian religion.