Chapter IV: The Christian Faith and Recent Philosophy

The philosophical situation at the opening of the century 125
Leading representatives of present day philosophy 127

I. Bergson and Creative Evolution 127
Creative Evolution a drama in three acts 128
Features of Bergson's system: the vital impulse 129
His rejection of Finalism: is it compatible with Theism? 132

II. Eucken and the Truth of Religion 137
His critique of Naturalism, of Pragmatism and of Absolutism 138
Universal Religion and Characteristic Religion 140
Eucken's relation to Christianity: "Can we still be
Christians?" 142
Bergson and Eucken as prophets of a new era 146

III. Ward and the Realm of Ends 146
His transition from Pluralism to Theism 147
His argument for Immortality 152
Pampsychism and Metempsychosis 153
Difficulties in the doctrine of Pampsychism 154

IV. Royce and the Problem of Christianity 155
Christianity as a Religion of Loyalty 157
"What is vital in Christianity?" 158
The Christian ideas of Sin and of Atonement or Grace 159
The Church as a source of salvation: its origin 161
Philosophical interest in Christianity and its significance 164