RELIGION AND THE INTELLECTUALS
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passage from timeless morality to history, the more or less favorable
conjunctures of power, the relative strength of contending groups, are
decisive.
It
is largely in the radical movements that most of the higher
values which religious people think are necessary for social life and
obtainable through religion alone, have operated during the last
hundred and fifty years. Ideals of justice, brotherliness, cooperation,
self-sacrifice, have been strongest in the radical groups and among
isolated fearless individuals of radical intellectual temper. Their aims
are often criticized by the churches as parodies or perversions of the
true religious values, but the fact is that religion has to contend with
these more than with unorganize?, unpolitical atheism. What is most
dangerous is not atheism, but secular "religion," since such "religion"
supplies what the churches desire and fail to give: a common activity
and faith, an ideal through which every participating individual
acquires a feeling of dignity, a place in the world, an inspiring
stable standard of judgment that can be applied daily to new condi–
tions and goals.
How many times have the socialist movements been buried as
complete failures! Their doctrines have seemed out-dated and hope–
less; their practice has become a source of monstrous crimes; yet
their originating ideals have retained their strength and it is by
the same basic values of universal justice and freedom, once opposed
by the churches which were committed to an order built on privilege,
that the radical movements have been condemned when they became
dogmatic, inconsiderate of individuals and a means of oppression–
in short, obstacles to their old aims. Material conditions continually
and urgently revive these ideals. The force and scope of the action
against inertia, privilege and inhumanity in social life is the measure
of the vitality of these compelling secular ideals. And here religion
is no great leader today but a laggard.
We are therefore confident that all who are genuinely concerned
with the liberty of the individual and the achievement of a humane
life for the entire community will sooner find the means through a
socialist outlook than through religion. This is the task of our painful,
discouraging age.
(The concluding installment of this Symposium will appear
in the May issue.)
