"I Climb the Rainbow Through the Rain" George Matheson, X.

Following a terrible crisis of faith shortly after his ordination, George Matheson's preaching changed radically. Instead of the old Calvinism of his forefathers, Matheson preached a 'gospel' modified by Germn philosophy. Instead of seeing the Old Testament Judaism as a unique revelation of God, he came to regard all religions as preparing for the Gospel. This was quite common in the wake of Darwinian teaching on evolution.

Matheson encouraged others to study German theology, publishing a book in 1874 called Aids to the Study of German Theology. He presented the German theology as a good thing, and he found many sympathetic readers not only in the Church of scotland but in the Free and United Presbyterian churches. Matheson's next important book was his The Growth of the Spirit of Christianity, which presented a liberal idea of a developing religion that had only recently become 'adult'. Matheson certainly presented his opinions, but critics noted that there was really very little connection between the facts of history and Matheson's interpretation of them at times.

Yet it seems George Matheson, in the deep study of erman philosophy, did not completely abandon believing. He remained convinced of immortality, of the resurrection, and of the deity of Christ in the strict sense. Some of his poetry is simply sublime; some I cannot read because it is so awful in what it presents.

Will there be a next time? God willing, there shall be, but this brief series on George Matheson is cut off in its prime, maybe never to be finished.