In the book "Christianity and Liberalism" Machen sets forth a basic contrast between Liberal theology and orthodox theology. In chapter 3 he turns his attention to this contrast in the doctrine of God and the doctrine of man - which he says are the "two great presuppositions of the gospel." Machen shows that the liberal approach is diametrically opposed to the Christian. Where the liberal thinks, "we should not seek to know God, but should merely feel His presence" the Christian says, "Certainly it does make the greatest of difference what we think about God; the knowledge of God is the very basis of religion." - This expression "the very basis of religion" or something similar is repeated very frequently to express the character of Machen's objection to the liberal, that is at the very heart of the matter - it is the difference between belief and unbelief - between heaven and hell.
Concerning the liberal idea, the basic thought is that famous phrase, "the universal Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man" a universalism to be sure. To the liberal God is not so much a person but merely a part of the great cosmic scheme, both micro and macro - He is eroded away into the working of nature and nothing more.
Machen in contrast, has a view of God that has content. God is personal. God is a Father in a peculiar sense. God is separate and transcendent from his creation.
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Hmmmm. In my notes I have the question phrased as, "What is Machen's view on the doctrine of Man..." I haven't had the chance to read any thing else from that book yet, but by using the index I was able to find a key passage from pg 63-68. Did Sonya write down the question the same way as you?
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