Religion 49, Modern Christian Thought I
Fall 2010

Reading questions for John Henry Newman, An Essay on the Development of Doctrine

For Thursday, Nov. 4:  pp. 2-11, 29-32, 55-75

1)  	Why does Newman say that ‘the Christianity of history is not Protestantism’?

2)  	What is the problem, according to Newman, with ‘remaining in the mere letter of Scripture’ (p. 59)?

3)  	Newman claims that ‘the whole Bible is written on the principle of development’.  How does this speak to the problems raised by historical biblical criticism?

For Tuesday, Nov. 9:  pp. 76-98

1)  	Newman considers the objection that it is absurd to argue that it is probable that there is an infallible religious authority.  What is his response?

2)	Newman draws an analogy between the authority of conscience for the individual and the authority of the Church for Christians in general.  How, in both cases, do considerations of truth and of authority come apart?

3)	What is the significance, for Newman, of the fact that Catholic doctrines form a ‘unified whole’?