Neglect of the science of religions in Europe
The science of religions, excepting Christian faith, is rather neglected in Europe. Since the Reformation, the divinity schools and well-established theological faculties of the celebrated universities of Europe have been dealing one-sidedly with Christian theology. Though their aim should be the pursuit of truth, they chiefly serve only ecclesiastical and sectarian interests.
The search for truth is ever a hard task and is ever attended with impediments. The comparative science of religions, which to some extent counterbalances the one-sidedness of Christian theology and widens the religious horizon of Europe, occupies a very low place in the curriculum of the royal universities of Europe. I think it has never been able up till now to have any independent chair in any university, except in Holland.
Influence of German theology
The European science of theology has been under the influence of German scholarship for centuries, and in the early part of the present century, the celebrated Berlin Professor Harnack was an authority in theological questions. Regarding comparative religious science, this distinguished German theologian never sympathised with the powerful initiative of the eminent Oxford professor, Max Müller. The magnificent work of the Oxford School has been called an amateur work by him.
The German professor, being a high official before the war, looked down on any science of religion which was in any way calculated to prove detrimental to the official Church theology. The religious thinking (I mean the Protestant theology) is still under this influence in this country.
The church’s attitude toward comparative religion
Christian people of Europe are not very much interested in the “heathen” religions of Zarathustra, Confucius, Buddha, etc. They do not want to have anything to do with comparative religious science. I, therefore, do not hope much from the Church. Theology is not inclined to find out the religious psychology of the masses. It is concerned only with making formulas, and the Church sees the solution to the problem in avoiding it.
It may well do it, because it is afraid of the conclusions of the comparative science of religions. The Church is afraid of the comparative science of religions, because if all religions are studied in a scientific spirit, Christianity shall have to descend from the Olympian heights of its distinction and shall have to mingle with the community of other world religions possessing a high standard of ethics, and the bars of exclusive distinction of Christianity will altogether fall down.
Consequences of religious equality
What will be the result of this fall? No great trouble, I think! Such persons as in their hearts long for the happiness of mankind, whether they are Christian or not, will welcome this change in Christianity and its association with other world religions on equal footing.
If this is done, and Christianity bids farewell to its position of privilege, which it has held for so many centuries, religious peace would be assured. It is a wonderful step towards the realisation of the ideal of one herd and one shepherd. We hope the day of spreading Christianity with fire and sword is done forever.
At present, but a few fanatical missionaries are earnestly attached to the idea that all the nations of the world should be made to join a universal Christian Church. It may be the ideal of some theological men or some priests, but it was never the ideal of the gospels at all. The ideal of the gospels is not universal Christianity, but a universal brotherhood.
Universalism and religious conflict
As Christians like a universal Christianity, the Buddhists like a universal Buddhism, and Jews a universal Judaism, etc. If they have their wishes realised, then that small peace that already exists among religions would disappear.
Religious thinking has been directed to a right path by the comparative study of religions. It has been pointed out that the element, which is admitted to be the essential element of religion, exists in all religions. This essential element is that very common treasure of ethics which one can find in the teachings of all prophets, who are the great ethical teachers of mankind.
The ethics of human brotherhood is an element of permanent value, being of much greater importance than the other elements in religion. This discovery in the science of religion will exercise a decisive effect upon the transformation of the religious worldview as much as the physical discoveries have brought about some changes in the physical worldview.
Europe and the spiritual light of the East
Europe has been ruling over the world for a very long time. It scarcely has any religious life and does not seem to have any way to lead the world in religious matters, as it has done in secular matters. It has no light, no stirring of soul. West ever got light from the East. Ex oriente lux! It is destined to do so now.
Some religious ideas of the East, and especially those of India, came over to Europe, and they found a fertile soil here. Europe does not get much from the Church-Christianity of the priests and dogmas. I do not refer to theosophy. Theosophy may be a good theory. But I have nothing to do with that now. I only wish to draw attention to a reality, a fact.
Attempts at religious union
A great religious movement in India has put forward a magnificent idea. It is an old question how to put a stop to the social discrepancies by creating a uniform religious system. That well-known religious philosophical movement of the first centuries, which has been called syncretism by historians, made efforts to solve that question. After this movement, the Roman Catholic Church tried the same thing. It aimed at the creation of a universal religion. But both these failed to carry out that plan.
Such experiments of a religious union have been made since ancient times, in India, too. Religious men in India have kept themselves occupied for centuries to bring about a religious union on a common theological basis. They were to some extent successful in their attempts on account of their knowledge and the influence and authority they commanded. But they could not attain that universal union which has been their original intention.
Such a religious union cannot be brought into existence. Union of doctrines is, I suppose, a union of opinions. Union of opinions and, further, in higher degrees, union of convictions and unions of faiths are quite opposite to human nature. The more an individual becomes free from the pressure of that power which compels him to such a union, the more he will be unwilling to sacrifice his dearest treasure – the individual faith of his own. The experiments of this kind of religious union have the great fault of being unnatural.
Basis of true religious union
Then are we wrong to speak of a religious union? Not at all. On the contrary, we are quite right to do so on the basis of a thing which is nearer to the real essence of religion than ever a doctrine. A great part of religious thinkers agree that the essence of religion is love.
This idea affords the ground for a possible religious union which would not be a union of doctrines but a union of brotherhood. This idea, as far as I know, is represented most clearly by the teachings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[as] of Qadian, Punjab, India.
Encounter with the teachings of Ahmad
A few years ago, my esteemed friend Maulvi Mubarak Ali, Ahmad’s[as] missionary in Berlin, was kind enough to hand me some English translations of several books and pamphlets containing the teachings of that great man of God. I started reading those books. After I had read some pages, I was very much surprised by the simplicity and purity of their style, by which the most difficult problems of religion were opened before my mind.
Every sentence awakened and brought to light some ideas that lay slumbering in my soul before. His convincing words had the effect of a revelation upon me. Especially the teaching about peace among religions made a very deep impression on my mind and made me believe in the idea of a possible religious union.
Prophets and universal respect
God has ever revealed His will to mankind by His messengers. These messengers, who are called prophets, received divine revelation in different periods and among different nations. People, amongst whom a prophet was raised to reveal God’s will, were inclined to claim that prophet exclusively as their own.
It is, however, quite clear that, being messengers of that very one God, Who is the God of all human beings, they are all our common prophets. This is the principle of Ahmad[as]. This principle is to be realised. In forcible accents, he asks the followers of different religions to hold in equal respect the prophets of the religions besides their own.
That is the first requirement, without which it is impossible to bring religions near each other, for nothing is more painful and offensive to the adherents of a faith than to see the prophet they believe in being abused and criticised.
Need for comparative study
In order to respect equally all prophets, it is indispensable to know them and their teachings. If I were acquainted only with the teachings of my own religion, the others being unknown to me, I would have a very defective knowledge of the revelations of God. For that reason, Ahmad[as] suggested a study of the comparative science of religion.
There is no doubt that Ahmad[as] is a representative of a universal spirit, much more than it is acknowledged in Europe. By his suggestion to adopt the most advanced method for religious science in Europe and by wishing to bring about a close connection with the modern science of Europe, he draws the attention of Europe to himself.
Ahmad’s example and teachings
With great regard, Christian Europe should remember that great man, who, being himself a prophet and messenger of God and founder of a great and new religious community, set an example of how to hold in respect the prophets of other religions. As a true follower of Islam, he always mentioned the name of the Prophet of Christianity most respectfully, and he wished that the great man of God be respected by all nations.
He knows the teachings of Jesus Christ much more than many priests or theological men of Christian Europe.
Path toward religious union
Western people will see by means of religious historical research of religions that the great prophets all agree as to the essence of religion. When they understand that these religious teachers were all of them models for them in their practical lives and that they suggested the same salutary means for healing the sufferings of human beings, then they will find the right path to the religious union.
That union will not be founded on a union of doctrines and dogmas; it will not be brought about by decrees of synods. Nay, it will be realised in the souls of men longing for peace and brotherhood. Churches will never be able to perform this. They have hindered the free evolution of religion.
Unfettered conviction of mind and free association of religions will create that union by putting aside the officialdom of churches and by destroying disruptive influence.
Proposal for an ‘Ahmadi School of Religious Science’
One of the objects of The Review of Religions is to make known the teachings of Ahmad[as] in Europe and to suggest some ideas on how to do this work. By permission of the editor, I will make in the next issue of this journal a proposal for an “Ahmadi School for Science of Religion,” which could be established in one of the centres of the continent. – J Rohoska
(Transcribed and edited by Al Hakam from the original English, published in the February 1926 issue of The Review of Religions)