Synopsis
Excerpt from The Methodist Review, Vol. 71: Bimonthly July-August, 1889
Professor Huxley assumes the paternity of the word agnostic, or agnosticism, which is playing an important function in the contro versies of the day. The gnostic of the early church period pretended to know all mysteries, and posed as the apostle of truth and divine wisdom. He was not a charlatan, for he was learned according to the times, but the horizon of his acquisitions was limited to a philosophy that was in the declining stages, and to a theology that was crude and wanting in a decisive terminology. Still he was the sum of secret wis dom. It occurred to the distinguished English scientist that an agnostic is one who does not know what the gnostic knew; he is outside the circle of truth; he is ignorant of mysteries; he inquires but must shake his head in dissent at his own questions. Thus the word as the antithesis of gnostic came into use. The agnostic, ignorant of revealed truths, may persist in his ignorance until he doubts and finally denies them. This is infidel agnosticism. On the contrary, he may push his investi gations along the track of the mysteries, solving one now and then, find ing an explanation here and there of some great difficulty, but compelled to acknowledge that such problems as the divine existence, immortality, and the supernatural world are still beyond exact definition, description, or statement. He afiirms faith in them, but is ignorant respecting essence, condition, relation. He is a Christian agnostic, and will ever be such; for here we only know in part, and must patiently wait for the final revela tion. Infidel agnosticism is an obstacle to inquiry and progress; Chris tian agnosticism is an inspiration to faith, investigation, contentment and stability.
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