THE NEXT STEP IN RELIGION

AN ESSAY TOWARD THE COMING RENAISSANCE

BY

ROY WOOD SELLARS, Ph.D.

Author of "Critical Realism," "The Next Step in Democracy," etc.

New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1918

All rights reserved

COPYRIGHT, 1918
BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY

Set up and electrotyped. Published, August, 1918

TO
HELEN STALKER SELLARS
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED

FOREWORD

The purpose of this book is positive and constructive, although it maynot at first appear such to the reader whose inherited beliefs arefreely challenged. But let the reader ponder the fact that the deepestspiritual life has always concerned itself with the appreciation andmaintenance of values. He who acknowledges, and wishes to further,human values cannot be said to be irreligious or unspiritual.

The center of gravity of religion has been openly changing for sometime now from supernaturalism to what may best be called a humanisticnaturalism. The history of this change is traced in many of thechapters of the book. There have been many steps forward in the past,for every age must possess its own religion, a religion concordant withits knowledge and expressive of its problems and aims. The sincerityand adequacy with which this necessary task is done measures thespiritual greatness of the particular age.

I have called the book The Next Step in Religion because the time isripe for one of the great steps forward. The setting of religion mustbe adjusted to man's knowledge. Let it not be feared that man'sspiritual life will be injured thereby. Rather will it be made saner,healthier and more creative.

The first phase of religion reflected man's helplessness and fear. Hepeopled his surroundings with conscious powers, sometimes adverse,sometimes friendly, but always jealous. Man became their slave. Asman became less of a savage, these gods of his fancy became nobler.But they still acted like magnets to draw his attention away from hisown problems. The coming phase of religion will reflect man's powerover nature and his moral courage in the face of the facts andpossibilities of life. It will be a religion of action and passion, asocial religion, a religion of goals and prospects. It will be a freeman's religion, a religion for an adult and aspiring democracy.

A book must in the main carry its own credentials. But there may bethose who will wish to carry the quest further and deeper. To thoseinterested in my share in this larger work I may mention my CriticalRealism and The Next Step in Democracy.

R. W. SELLARS.

Ann Arbor, Michigan,
    August 5, 1918.

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