Christianity: A psychologist's translation

SHORT REVIEWS Initialled reviews are by members of the Editorial Board WELFORD, A. T ., Christianity : A Psychologist's Translation . London : Hodder and Stoughton, 1971, 192 pp . D-0 0The basic approach of the author is to examine the available empirical information provided by psychology on a given topic and then to work out the implications of these findings for Christianity . In many ways it is a noble effort, a number of interesting observations are made and if they stimulate discussion may prove extremely useful . This is particularly true about the suggestion of a group to record the experience gained by the more insightful and successful clergy of the day and the call for a modern Christian prophet or prophets to be set in the forefront of the work of the Church. While these suggestions might be difficult to implement, they could make the Church far more effective and relevant in the modern world . There is a danger that some of Welford's conclusions or suggestions may turn out to be wrong or at least misleading, especially in areas where there is a dearth of empirical evidence. One must therefore question whether he is justified in reaching any conclusion in these areas . One example of this difficulty concerns the use of archaic language in church services and Biblical translations. Welford's experiments (1946, 1949) give no information about any changes in the cultural use of religious language and ideas during the last twenty years . Another important area where further data is required concerns the development of religious concepts in the child . It is also necessary to know the rate at which the unfamiliar becomes the familiar by regular usage . Information in all of these areas could have a profound effect on the conclusion that should be drawn . The evidence available is meagre, but it does add some weight to the discussion (i) There appears to have been a significant change in the religious tone of the culture over the last twenty years, as revealed by decreasing attendances at church and Sunday school . (2) The work of Goldman indicates that the ability to understand abstract religious concepts occurs quite late in the child's mental development . An archaic language may hinder this development or even discourage the child from considering the concepts . (3) Some parishes have indicated that once agreement has been reached about the experimental use of new church services, there seems to be a fairly rapid change in attitude towards them ; with increasing familiarity, the advantages of the new system seem to be seen more clearly . This is a result we might have predicted using Cognitive Dissonance Theory . Welford's conclusions in this area, i .e . it may not have been a good idea to adopt modern language for the Bible and church services, appears to be going beyond the evidence . I have spent some time discussing this point because it is not always clear in the book when evidence seems conclusive 76

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and when it can only lead to tentative suggestions . Provided these topics are treated as material for further discussion, in accord with the author's wishes expressed in the preface, then the book is good and very stimulating. But if individuals or institutions should treat it in a more authoritative way, subsequent research could reveal that they have been gravely misled . The least convincing arguments occur in Chapter III, `The Concept of God' . Any arguments that deduce the character or existence of God from the nature of man or the world are subject to the limitations and qualifications which have been arrayed against the traditional proofs for the existence of God . Welford's arguments are no exception. They seem to lose their creditability when faced by the central assertions of the Christian gospel, i .e. the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection, etc . This is perhaps best illustrated by Welford's own translation of John i : i-5 on page 58. Here, for the term `Logos' or `Word', he substitutes `Natural Law' . This seems very attractive for the first few verses, but if we apply the translation to verse 54 of the same chapter, i .e . `the natural law became flesh and dwelt among us . . .', etc., we are faced with as many, if not more, problems than the original translation. There is no time to deal with all the points of issue in this chapter, but one further comment should be made . It seems scientifically indefensible to apply the findings of Bartlett and others on memory to a society existing nearly two thousand years ago where reading and writing were for the privileged few and rote memory was the usual method of conveying information from one generation to another . This is especially true when we realize that modern information about memory is usually based on highly literate people who make effective use of the written word to assist their memories. Research findings indicate that attitudes and prejudice are maintained by selecting and attending to confirmatory material and rejecting or ignoring non-confirmatory material . Therefore, we need to be very cautious in our treatment of the Biblical text . In conclusion, I think most readers will find the book stimulating but at times irritating, especially when some well established Christian dogmas are questioned . If this book provokes members of the Christian Church to reconsider in a new light ideas that have been ignored or quietly forgotten, then it will have made a major contribution to the effectiveness of the Church in the modern world . G. E . ScoBIE Department of Psychology, University of Glasgow DAVIES, HORTON, Worship and Theology in England, Volume r, From Cranmer to Hooker, r534-r6o3. Princeton University Press, New Jersey and Oxford University Press, London, 5975, 482 PP-, £5 . 00 This is the fourth volume to be published of Horton Davies' magnificent survey of English religion since the Reformation. The first part considers the theological controversies which followed the break with Rome in 5 534 . On the one hand, Protestants had to determine and establish their position