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Recent French Discussions of Christianity: the Series ‘Christianisme’
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 October 2011
Extract
The general public in France is singularly uninformed on questions of religion. Persons in other respects very well educated are frequently lacking in the most elementary notions of the doctrines and history of Christianity. Men who would be ashamed if they were caught taking Virgil for a Greek poet or Demosthenes for a Roman orator, unblushingly display an astonishing ignorance about the books of the Bible, and will suppose, for example, that the New Testament was written in Hebrew, or in Syriac, or even in Arabic, and the Old Testament in Latin. On the part of the small group of scholars who occupy themselves with the history of Christianity, efforts have been made to combat this ignorance and to awaken some interest in questions which the university programs systematically ignore. Plans have been sketched, but difficulties of every kind have prevented putting them into effect. Some steps have been taken, but as yet only too few; some books of an untechnical character, capable of being understood by anyone of moderate education, have been published, but so far they have not succeeded in shaking the general indifference.
- Type
- Research Article
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- Copyright
- Copyright © President and Fellows of Harvard College 1927
References
1 The series is to be continued. The following numbers are already announced as soon to appear: G. van den Bergh van Eysinga, “La littérature chrétienne primitive”; E. Buonaiuti, “Le modernisme catholique”; P. L. Couchoud, “Recherches sur Jésus.” A recent circular from the publishing house of Rieder announces a project that is under consideration for supplementing the series “Christianisme” by a parallel series to supply the scientific foundation. This is said to be sufficiently advanced for a beginning to be expected in 1927. Side by side with “Christianisme,” the same house issues another series entitled “Judaisme,” divided into two sections, “Œuvres,” under the editorship of Edmond Fleg, and “Études,” under that of P. L. Couchoud. Pour volumes of each of these sections have appeared and others are announced.
2 This is a typical example of the confusion mentioned above between the terms Christianity and Catholicism. The same confusion appears in several volumes of the series.
3 Under the general title, “Études sur l'origine et le développement de la vie religieuse,” three volumes have appeared: I. “Les primitifs, l'Égypte, l'Inde, la Perse,” 1919; II. “La religion chez les Grecs et chez les Romains,” 1920; III. “La religion d'Israel,” 1922, 2nd edition, 1926.
4 It should be added that in the case of hellenistic syncretism Zielinski does not seem to attribute to oriental influences as much effect as they would appear to have had.
5 Actes du Congrès international d'histoire des religions réuni à Paris, en octobre 1923, I, pp. 51–69, Paris, 1925.
6 This volume has now appeared in an English translation: A. Houtin, A Short History of Christianity, translated by Lady Frazer, 128 pp., London, Fisher Unwin, 1927.
7 Even in 1902 the bishop of Angers, who harshly censured and even persecuted him – the word is not too strong – was obliged to write that a good “testimonial was due him in respect to his life as a priest.”
8 Revue d'histoire et de philosophie religieuses, I, pp. 446–468; also volume III of my Introduction au Nouveau Testament, Paris, 1922.
9 Theologische Literaturzeitung, 1906, col. 232.
10 It should be mentioned that the use of Loisy's translation is made difficult by the fact that the traditional division into chapters and verses is not indicated on the page.
11 See for example, John 1, 11–12; 3, 32–83; 8, 15–16.
12 John 7, 80. 44; 8,59; 10, 31; 11, 57.
13 I have developed this idea in my Introduction au Nouveau Testament, vol. IV, part 2, pp. 72 f.
14 An English translation by Lady Frazer of Aulard's book has appeared, under the title, Christianity and the French Revolution, London, E. Benn, 1927.
15 As to the word ‘desultator,’ Father Lagrange writes in the Revue Biblique (1926, p. 448): “Humiliated at not knowing the meaning of this word, apparently Latin, the reviewer has looked it up in the new Thesaurus. It is not there. Doubtless it is for ‘desultor,’ the circus rider who leaps from one horse to another to the amazement of the crowd of idlers.”
16 July 10, 1926.
17 “Nouvelles litteraires,” June 19, 1926.
18 Father Lagrange writes in the Revue Biblique (1926, p. 453); “P.-L. Couchoud is in charge of the publication of certain pamphlets under the general title ‘Christian-isme’; it would be as well to say ‘Antichristianisme,’ at least for most of the pamphlets.”
19 He refers to Houtin and Loisy, and we might add the writer who signs himself “Delafosse,” for he is said to be a Catholic priest still performing clerical functions. Since Gillouin speaks of “the pseudo-Coulange,” why does he not also say “the pseudo-Normand”?