In the turmoil and "hastening change" of twentieth-century religious convictions one meets with some facts which give great promise for the future, and prominent among these is the willingness with which those who represent the most conflicting opinions "exalt together" the character and works of Christ Jesus. The whole Christian world is practically at one in accepting the ideality of his life and teaching, and in believing that men may find the essential faith and overcoming in an honest endeavor to follow his footsteps. Moreover, while non-Christians may have freely, and in large part legitimately, criticised the Master's professed followers, in their hearts all wholesome men wish they were "like him."
The significance of this present "looking unto Jesus" is greatly enhanced when we realize the relation of his teaching to humanity's concept of God. It has been well said that "all true religion is a kind of tidal interest in God a Godward sweep of the soul," and yet the study of the great world religions makes it clear that they differ fundamentally in their concepts of the nature of the Supreme Being, from which nature the best interests and duty of mortals have been determined. While Christian believers have postulated a God of infinite wisdom, love, and power, the objection has always been raised that this order of thought begins with an a priori concept, and hence that the attempted advance is from the unknown to the known, — a course which is at variance with the requirements of modern scientific investigation.
On the other hand asserted loyalty to the scientific method has impelled many to undertake to formulate a religious system and reach a true sense of Deity from the analysis of human experience, capacity, and aspiration. This study of humanity necessarily involves a study for the most part of the discordant and the abnormal, and it is apparent that however complete and well classified such so-called knowledge may be, it can never yield a generalization which is either inspiring or redemptive, or bring a sense of God which is self-consistent and satisfactory.
