Reese, Curtis W.

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OUTLINE OF LIBERAL FUNDAMENTALSBY CURTIS \V. REESELIBERAL religion can never formulate a statement of faith that^ will possess any authority other than that inhering in its con-formity to observed and experienced facts, its essential reasonable-ness, and its evident human worth. Indeed, liberals in religion areso diverse in origin and so multiple in method that to find and statetheir common fundamentals is a very difficult task. Nevertheless,I am convinced that deep below the ordinary formulations of thefaith of the liberal religious movements there are certain fundamen-tals which are the source of whatever power the current formula-tions possess. The discovery of these fundamentals is prerequisiteto a united liberal movement.If, as I believe, these fundamentals arc also the foundation ofsocial idealism and progress, then the discovery and statement ofthem is doubly desirable. If liberal religion is in fact basically at-one with accurate knowledge, humanistic aspirations, and techni-cal skill, then liberal religion has everything to gain by reformulat-ing its faith in a way that will sharply demark it from the vain repe-titions of the older creeds and place it squarely on the side of thor-ough-going realistic modernism.To me the liberal fundamentals a]:)pear to be : (1) the authorityof evidence; (2) the supremacy of intelligence; (3) the validity offreedom; (4) the leadership of the competent, and (5) the com-monwealth of man. Let us see what these fundamentals involve.T. The Authority of EvidenceMan has always tended to rely on authority of one sort oranother. With some authority has rested in various externals—asoracles, seers, teachers, institutions, books, creeds, and the like.With others authority has been internal—as conscience, inner light,OUTLIXR OF LIBERAL Fl'XnA^rENTAI,S 171sense of ought, pure reason, etc. Rut the tendency has been moreand more to rely on evidence ; that is, facts reasonably interpreted.Throughout practical life the authority of evidence is very generallyaccepted. Tliroughout the world of science evidence is the soleauthority. Jurisprudence presupposes loyalty to evidence.Religious beliefs for the most part have been founded not oncarefully weighed evidence but on uncriticized desire, ecstatic expe-rience, and false logic. Authoritarian creeds usually consist pri-marily of pronouncements in regard to things unknown if not un-knowable, and secondarily with man's conduct in view of the pri-mary pronouncements. But thus far there is not a shred of com-petent evidence in regard to the nature and purpose of ultimatereality. Hence, a conduct-creed based on such pronouncements is ahouse of straw on shifting sand. Only man's sound instincts havesaved him from the utter sandal of committing his body as well ashis soul to such precarious dwellings. A healthy nature has savedmany a man from the logical consequences of his formal professions.So unfounded in point of evidence are the authoritarian systemsof religion that in my judgment they may well be left out of accountin the new formulations. We do not need a paraphrase of Calvin-ism—an anemic counterfeit of ontnology—but a new departure thatwill depart as far from creeds of the pre-scientific age as can bejustified by the evidence at hand.The genuine liberal in religion, as elsewhere, is willing to followthe evidence wherever its reasonable interpretation may lead. Hemakes no reservations. There are no forbidden fields. Though theevidence slay him, yet will he follow it, firm in the belief that fact isbetter than fiction, that truth is better than error, that the uneasystruggle for knowledge is better than the peace that passeth under-standing.H. The Supremacy of IxtelltgenceClosely related to the authority of evidence is the supremacv ofintelligence. The function of evidence is to reveal the truth. Thefunction of intelligence is to control conduct in harmony with thedesirable possibilities revealed by the truth.The acceptance of the supremacy of intelligence has far reach-ing consequences. It means a break with the age-long habit of con-formity to precedent. It means also a skeptical attitude towards172 ' THE OPEN COURTone's own bias, intuition, and pure reason. Intelligence accepts thetestimony of the fathers, the history of institutions, and systems oflogic as evidence of what has been, but not as authority for whatshould be. Intelligence is intolerant both of purely external author-ity—including precedent as such, and of purely internal authority—including bias, intuition, and pure reason. But intelligence gives dueconsideration to all that which when critically considered properlybears on any proposed conduct.Intelligence applied to any given problem involves : ( 1 ) the col-lation of all pertinent facts; (2) fair weighing and ordering of thefacts ; (3) definite understanding of a goal that is both desirable andpossible in view of the facts, and (4) the technical skill to enlist anddirect all available forces in the achievement of the desired goal.This is human engineering.How different is this method of intelligence from that ordinarilyin operation! Ordinarily we "catch an idea," "jump at conclusions,""take chances," and "revel in mystical intoxication." It is not toomuch to say that with the exception of a few noble ventures thehuman race has never yet tried to apply intelligence to its problemof conquering the world and of living an abundant life.Suppose we studied the race problem as thoroughly as an archi-tect plans a steel structure : suppose we attacked the problem of edu-cation as comprehensively as an international banking house surveysthe resources and needs of the people it serves ; suppose we set aboutproduction and distribution with the exactness of the mathematicianswho measure and weigh the stars : and, while we are supposing, letus try to imagine what could be done for human justice and happi-ness if the government of the world were a science instead of a sys-tem of conflicting ambitions. As a matter of fact the present stateof exact knowledge gives reasonable ground for the fervent hopethat we shall yet intelligently control our social destiny.III. The Necessity of FreedomFreedom is a much-abused term. It is frequentlv used indis-criminately as a synonym of caprice and license. Without enter-ing here into the interminable discussion of freedom vs. determin-ism, suffice it to say that beyond all actions growing out of inherenttrends and environmental pressure there is a wide realm in whichthe exercise of freedom is not only possible but necessary to nobleOUTLINE OF LIBERAL FUNDAMEXTALS ' 173conduct. In this realm we throw artificial human restrictions aboutfreedom at the peril of all that is finest in personality.Freedom from hampering human restrictions is prerequisite toeffective and creditable conduct. It should be the definite policy ofall institutions—state, school, church, home—to restrict social inhi-bitions and compulsions to the lowest possible minimum consistentwith the public welfare. No man is at his best save when he is free.Thus far in history it has been found safe and wise to enlargethe boundaries of human freedom. Patriarchs, barons, kings, andpriests have all been shorn of authority without any of the predictedcatastrophies resulting. Slaves have been freed, suffrage has beenextended, bills of right have been achieved, constitutions have beenmade responsive to the public will, and still the social structure holdstogether. Indeed the very life of organized society now seems todepend more and more on the free action of free peoples. Thetrend of current social evolution seems to be definitely in the direc-tion of greater freedom for all people.Liberals encourage the free interplay of free minds and the gen-eral extension of the realm of free behavior.IV. The Leadership of the CompetentA superficial understanding of democracy has caused many peo-ple to arrive at the conclusion that democracy discounts leadershipand depends primarily on the spontaneous popular will. This con-clusion is found to be erroneous when we understand that truedemocracy is not primarily a method but a spirit, a goal, a gospel.The liberal insists that with democracy, as well as wath life ingeneral, competent leadership is a matter of first importance. Thegreat mass of the people will follow some sort of leadership. In theabsence of competent leadership (and sometimes in spite of it) theywill follow demagogues and charletans. One of the greatest cursestoday is the prevalence of incompetent but magnetic public figures.A striking presence covers a mass of incompetence. The funeral ofmany statesmanlike proposals has been preached by incompetent butvolitile opponents.We must learn to distinguish between spurious and genuineleadership. That is to say we must learn to examine for ourselvesthe basal facts at issue and the reasoning processes of our leaders.It is, of course, not possible for all of us to familiarize ourselves with174 THE OPEN COURTall details of the subjects presented for consideration; but we canand should know enough general principles to distinguish betweenthe experts and the fakers, between mature judgments and airyromance.We must not only distinguish competent experts but we mustlearn to use them in the social as well as in the physical sciences.We examine the credentials of an engineer before we employ him toconstruct a bridge or a dam. Why should we take chances on themen we select to enact and administer our laws? When socialsituations need adjusting we should employ experts just as we doin tunneling a mountain. Until we form this habit we are childrendirected by impulse and led by fancy. The day the world beginsconsciously to depend on the consensus of opinion of competentsocially-minded commissions then will begin the manhood ofhumanity.V. The Commonwealth of Man ' -^Any worth-while order must be based on the verified convictionof the supreme worth of human personality, of the world-wide com-munity of interest, and of the practicability and necessity of thehuman direction of social progress. Any worth-while religion musthave human life as its object, loyalty to human life as its content,the enhancement of human life as its aim, and the fulfilment ofhuman life as its supreme test of values. All other considerationswhether of an other-worldly or of a materialistic character are ofsecondary importance. At the fiery altar of human life must betested every idea, every symbol, and every institution.The building of a commonwealth of man necessitates the con-scious dependence of the race on the human control of human destinyon this planet, subject always to the possibilities inherent in thenatural order. The technique of such control involves many factorswhich must be experimentally worked out through the years but theindispensable minimum requirements are: (1) universal education;(2) social guarantees, and (3) world organization.Only an educated people can establish and maintain a common-wealth, (a) Educational standards must be raised; (b) educationalopportunities universalized; (c) compulsory education revised up-ward; (d) the technique of determining potential qualities devel-OUTLIXE OF Lir.ERAL Fl'XDAMEXTALS 175oped, and (e) persons showing unusual potentialities afforded theutmost opportunity they are capable of using.At best, the risks of life are many and great. Xo man can standalone. Mutual aid is a factor of the utmost importance. A new-world order wherein human life shall be the first concern requiresnot only equality of opportunity, not only co-operation in the use ofopportunity, but also social guarantees against the ill effects of mis-fortune. Mankind must unite to beat back from the doorsteps ofthe world the terrors of accident and unemployment, of improvi-dence and sickness, of old age and death. Chance almsgiving andorganized philanthropy are plainly inadequate. The necessity of acomprehensive plan of social insurance, involving dignified andequitable preventive and redemptive methods, is increasingly evident.Whether social guarantees should be administered through privateand fraternal concerns publicly controlled, or through governmentalagencies, or both, is a matter of expediency. The thing of chief con-cern is the recognition and application of interdependence as the lawof social life.Manifestly, the world must be managed co-operatively. Thepeoples and the nations are intertwined and are forever inseparable.No nation or people can prosper permanently at the cost of any othernation or people. All the world goes up or down together. We aremade one by the economic interests of every land, by the bonds ofknowledge and literature, by a thousand necessities of peaceful andhappy living, and by the holy stream of blood that courses throughall mankind. Wise men will accept the world-wide community ofinterest as a fact and good men will rejoice in its truth.

Outline of Liberal Fundamentals.

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Outline of Liberal Fundamentals.

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