Religion and Theology: A Sermon for the Times Preached in the Parish Church of Crathie, fifth September and in the College Church, St Andrews — Story, Setting & Ideas

Practical Piety versus Intellectual Scrutiny

Tulloch immediately contrasts the difficulty of being 'humble, good, pure, and just' with the intellectual difficulties that preoccupy his contemporaries. He observes that religion has become 'identified with the tenets of a Church system, or of a theological system,' and that modern criticism has made those tenets 'vulnerable.' The sermon does not dismiss intellectual struggle but reframes it: the real burden of religion is ethical, not doctrinal. Tulloch insists that the 'simplicity that is in Christ' (2 Cor. xi. 3) points to a life of faith and charity, not a set of propositions to be defended. This distinction allows him to acknowledge the force of contemporary doubt while preserving the core of Christian practice from erosion by controversy.

Uniformity of Religious Fruit, Diversity of Theological Systems

Tulloch argues that religion produces remarkably consistent moral results across time and tradition. He cites Micah 6:8, James 1:27, and Philippians 4:8 to define pure religion as justice, mercy, humility, and purity. He then lists a diverse array of Christian exemplars—Paul, Ignatius, Origen, Athanasius, Bernard, Luther, Calvin, Chalmers, Livingstone, alongside figures like Mary, Perpetua, Monica, Elizabeth of Hungary, Mrs. Hutcheson, Mrs. Fry, Francis, Fenelon, Herbert, and Leighton—to show that the same 'fruits of the Spirit' appear under varied doctrines. In contrast, theology is marked by 'fundamental antagonisms of thought' that repeat across history: 'broader and narrower types,' works versus grace, mild versus severe interpretations. Tulloch presents these oppositions as natural and irresolvable, not as signs of error.

Theology as a History of Variations

Tulloch characterizes the history of theology as a 'history of variations'—a phrase that echoes the title of Bossuet's famous work—but he denies that this variation implies chaos. Instead, he sees a 'constant repetition of oppositions' that structure theological development. He names pairs of thinkers—Paul and John, Peter and James, Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian, Erasmus and Luther—to illustrate enduring tensions. These differences, he claims, are not merely doctrinal but reflect 'diverse modes of Christian thinking' that arise 'by a law of nature.' The sermon thus normalizes theological disagreement while elevating the unity of religious experience. Tulloch's argument is not that theology is unimportant, but that its conflicts should not be mistaken for the essence of faith.

Tulloch's sermon offers a pastoral strategy for an age of doubt: by disentangling religion from theology, he preserves the possibility of sincere Christian practice even amid intellectual uncertainty. Readers should note that the sermon does not attempt to solve theological disputes but to reframe their significance. The text rewards attention to its rhetorical structure—the careful pairing of opposites, the catalog of exemplars, and the repeated appeal to apostolic authority—as Tulloch builds a case for a faith that can withstand critical scrutiny without losing its moral center.

Dr. Tulloch’s sermon once struck me as a gentle hand on the shoulder, whispering that living simply outweighs tangled creeds. A Short Method of Prayer — Text and Context holds the same quiet breath—not arguments, but practice. Both rest together on my shelf, content that the soul’s work outlasts the theologian’s labours.