The Critical Review of Theological and Philosophical Literature.
Edited by Professor S. D. F. Salmond, D.D. (T. and T. Clark.) —We give a hearty welcome to this, the first annual volume of
the Critical Review, a publication intended to keep the student
well informed of what is being done in theology and philosophy, and, we may say, satisfactorily carrying out its intention. Its general position is that of liberal orthodoxy. The articles are signed, a practice which, in this particular instance, will doubtless be found salutary, tending at once to individual carefulness and general freedom. Among the contributors we see the names of Canon Driver and Professors A. B. Bruce, Marcus Dods, Iveraeh,
H. E. Ryle, H. R. Reynolds, Sanday, and Cheyne, to mention a few out of many. It is noticeable, as indicating the comparative condition of theological study, that there is an immense pre- ponderance of books written in English and German. There are but three written in French out of the hundred or more books reviewed. Two of these came from Switzerland, the third from Paris, and this, the "Essais Bibliques " of M. Maurice Vernes, it is difficult to regard as a serious contribution to Biblical science. The contributions of Roman Catholic theologians are very few.
Or is it that they decline to be subjected to Protestant criticism?
We cannot, of course, undertake to criticise a volume of criticism ; but we may commend to special notice the article on Dr. James Martineau's " Seat of Authority in Religion," and that on Mr. P. E. Carpenter's "First Three Gospels." Mr. Carpenter's book certainly shows us that it is not only orthodox theologians who start with ready-made conclusions. He begins, for instance, with a conviction that the Gospels were of late origin, and he supports this contention with a theory of their reception as authoritative which, as the reviewer (Professor Iverach) says, shows a state of things "without parallel in the history of the Church." We would also mention Dr. Xenophon P. Morebrow's XPIZrlaNIKAI NEAETAl, a periodical published at Athens, and containing evangelical discourses in something very like the language of Plato.
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