Jainism Christianity and Science

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: The Indian Press Allahabad

Page 86

JAINISM. CHRISTIANITY & SCIENCE .
Individual opinion is not entitled to any weight against the teachings of a duly qualified teacher as defined above."
The Christian views on the subject are given below:
"... And therefore, before all else, the credentials of the prophet himself must be examined with all care; and when you have once ascertained that he 18 & prophet, it behoves you thenceforth to believe him in everything, and not further to discuss the particulars which he teaches, but to hold the things which he speaks as certain and sacred; which things, although they seem to be received by faith, yet are believed on the ground of the probation previously in. stituted. For when once at the outset the truth of the prophet is established on examination, the rest is to be heard and held on the ground of the faith by which at is already established that he 18 a teacher of truth."--Recognitions of Clement) A.N.C.L. vol. üi. p. 158.
"Therefore, if any one wishes to learn all things, (he cannot do it by) discussing them one by one; for, being mortal, he shal be able to trace the counsel of God, and to scan immensity itself. But if, as we have said, he desires to learn all things, let him seek after the true Prophet: and when he has found Him, let him not treat with Him by questions and disputations and arguments; but if He has given any response, or pronounced any judgment, it cannot be doubted that this is certain. And therefore, before all things, let the true Prophet be sought, and His words be laid hold of." (Recognitions of Clement) A.N.C.L vol. iii. p. 398.
" Wherefore, before all things, we must test the Prophet with all judgment by means of the prophetic promise; and having ase' certained Him to be the Prophet, we must undoubtedly follow the other words of His teaching; and having confidence concerning things hoped for, we must conduct ourselves according to the first judgment, knowing that He who tells us these things has not a nature to lie. Wherefore, if any of the things that are afterwards spoken by Him do not appear to us to be well spoken, we must know that it is not that it has been spoken &m188, but that it 18 that we have not conceived it anght. For ignorance does not rightly judge knowledge, and so neither is knowledge competent truly to judge fore