Preface.

accept as God's revelation, as with certain more recent scholars who—faithless and lacking in vision—believe they prove their loyalty to history (the only thing they revere) by taking everything they find in their research literally. They seem to take a secret delight when truly absurd and superstitious opinions come to light. Through this way of treatment, theology Theology: the study of religious faith, practice, and experience; literally "the study of God" is being ruined, and the history of dogma History of Dogma: the study of how official church doctrines and teachings have developed over time and dogmatics Dogmatics: the branch of theology that deals with the systematic formulation of religious beliefs are turned into a madhouse that we visit for cheap amusement, or at most as a warning to ourselves.

I urgently call upon all theologians for whom Christianity and religion have not yet become empty toys to dedicate their reflection to this subject and to set forth the results with an open mind. Theology is in the midst of a dangerous crisis; it will fall prey either to a deceptive mysticism Mysticism: a belief system focused on direct, personal experience of the divine, often through intuition or feeling rather than reason or to a faithless criticism Criticism: here, the "Higher Criticism" or historical-critical method of analyzing the Bible as a human, historical document unless it is protected by a philosophy that is as sober and prudent as it is rich in ideas and inspiration. Whatever