The extensive influence of Ritsehlianism as a school of theology has had its effect upon inter pretation, especially in its affirmation of the purely spiritual authority of the Scriptures and the spiritual relation to them of the Church. As a eoneequenee the inspiration of the Scriptures has conic quite widely to be eonsidered as largely of the same kind as all religious literature, and the authority of its message as more and more distinctly of a purely spiritual sort. Added to this Ritschlian influence on interpretation have been the general acceptance of the principles of evolutionary philosophy. which have brought to light. the possible presence in the process of Scripture revelation of the natural laws of de velopment. and the general prevalence of the principles of a newer biblical criticism. which in the line of these same evolution principles have shown the large probability of a natural (hien mentary development• of the historical portions of the Scripture record, particularly in the Old Testament, These things have all combined to make Seriptuie interpretation to-day very large ly the interpretation of religious hooks belong ing to the ancient literature of the Jewish people and the Christian rhumb. inspired essenHally as
all relieions literature is inspired, and intended for the spiritual edification rather than for the dogmatic establishment of the Church. Formally the authority involved in interpretation is ac knowledged as resting with the Scriptures; to it large degree it is made practically to rest with the religious sense of the interpreter, the one general principle which universally controls the present interpretative method, both in the ory and in practice, is a principle brought, out by Semler at the beginning of this modern stage of the science, and increasingly dominant ever since—that to be interpreted rightly, and, in fact, to be interpreted at all. the Scripture pas sage must he considered not so nu eh in its lit eral, grammatical sense as in the light of the historical surroundings in which it was written.