Bishop Barnes F.R.S. has hailed Professor F. J. A. Hort of Cam bridge as "the Father of English Modernism." In that case he was its posthumous father as it is only in the Appendix to his Hulsean Lectures published in 1893, after his death, that his Modernism is clearly seen. Hort there affirms that "Chnstianity is not a uniform and monotonous tradition, but is to be learnt by the successive steps of life." "Criticism is not dangerous save when it is merely the tool for reaching a result, believed on the ground of speculative postulates." "There can be no surer sign of decrepitude and decay in faith than a prevalent nervousness about naming and commending reason." Hort indicates what he regards as the right line of advance: "It is vain to uphold either (on the one hand) a merely humani tarian theology: all study of nature dissolves it: an enlarged study of and care for humanity dissolves it hardly less: (or) on the other hand, a merely pantheistic theology in combination with a humanita rian morality or anthropology. Both the pantheistic and the human itarian factors are needed in theology and in morality alike, and for the union of both. No evidence of the super-mundane God can have any power if we fail to discern the radiations of transmitted and derivative deity as the luminous and vital tissue of finite things." English Modernism differs mainly from the older Broad or Liberal Churchmanship in being less individualist and less Eras tian. It conceives of the Christian Religion as best realising its beneficent purpose for humanity through the operation of the Church, and therefore holds that it is the duty of the individual Christian to live in and work through the Church, which although it can often best serve the highest interests by closely co-operating with the State, is yet essentially independent of it should the State's policy be in conflict with Christian principles. The Mod ernist's ideal is not "a free Church in a free State," but "a Chris tian Church in a Christian State."
The English Modernist differs mainly from the Roman Modern ist in being neither pantheistic in his theology, nor pragmatist in his philosophy: neither does he identify the Christ with the Catho lic Church. The English Modernist is one with the Roman Mod ernist in his plea for the continuous development of Christian theology based on the truth-seeking interpretation of an enlarging Christian experience, and in the demand that scientific methods and historical criticism must be used to the full in the elucidation and presentation of Christian doctrine.
Modernism claims to offer three great advantages over Tradi tionalism which are as much in harmony with essential Christi anity as with the modern mind. It satisfies the modern Chris tian's intellect by giving him freedom of research ; his conscience by giving him freedom to teach the truth as he learns it : his heart by admitting to Christian fellowship all who call Jesus Lord. Modernism claims to be in harmony with the fundamental char acter of the English Church and should assist that body to realise its function as the reunion-centre of a reformed and progressive Christendom.
In Convocation in 1914 Bishop Hicks of Lincoln said: "I believe the men who may be called English Modernists are not unsettling the faith, but interpreting it, and making it clear to the modern man, and within a generation they will be looked back to as men who helped to build the faith of the English Church." The chief English Modernist society is "The Modern Churchmen's Union for the advancement of Liberal Religious Thought," founded in 1898. Its organ is The Modern Churchman, a monthly magazine, founded in 1911.
The United States.—In America the term Modernism is used in a somewhat different sense from the way it is used in England. Full treatment of the controversy in America between the Funda mentalist and Modernist groups is given in the article FUNDA MENTALISM AND MODERNISM.