RELIGION AND THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

Dr. Hendrik Kraemer, formerly Professor of the History of Religions at the University of Leiden, director of the Ecumenical Institute, at Bossey, Switzerland, and visiting professor at Union Theological Seminary, New York, has written a monumental book that the average reader will find very heavy going. ""But"", says Dr. Kraemer, ""if Christians intend to do their duty in the present encounter of Church and World in all its sectors, they must rejoice in the unavoidable, arduous heavy- goingness of the battle."" His purpose is to investigate the complicated subject of religion, religions and the Christian faith from many angles. His intention is to expound and uphold the supremacy and priority of Biblical religion against all comers, and he ventures to take on all whose position he considers unsound or dangerous from his point of view. ""This whole book is primarily concerned about the problem of truth"", he writes, ""a small contribution toward explaining what is implied in Jesus' self-evaluation: 'I am the Truth'- and what light is thrown on all other vindications of Truth, scientific and philosophical."" Most scholars will agree that his contribution is far from small and his forthright courage in challenging the claims of such philosophical giants as Paul Tillich is refreshing. It is an academic encounter which we find in these pages, but it will have visible effect upon the serious religious thinking of our time, and therefore finally on our religious living.