



Produced by Linda Hamilton, Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Les
Galloway and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images
generously made available by The Internet Archive)






    John Fiske's Writings.


 =MYTHS AND MYTH-MAKERS=: Old Tales and Superstitions interpreted by
 Comparative Mythology. 12mo, $2.00.

 =OUTLINES OF COSMIC PHILOSOPHY.= Based on the Doctrines of Evolution,
 with Criticisms on the Positive Philosophy. In two volumes, 8vo, $6.00.

 =THE UNSEEN WORLD=, and other Essays. 12mo, $2.00.

 =EXCURSIONS OF AN EVOLUTIONIST.= 12mo, $2.00.

 =DARWINISM=, and other Essays. 12mo, $2.00.

 =THE DESTINY OF MAN=, viewed in the Light of His Origin. 16mo, $1.00.

 =THE IDEA OF GOD=, as affected by Modern Knowledge. A Sequel to "The
 Destiny of Man." 16mo, $1.00.


[asterism] _For sale by all Booksellers. Sent by mail, post-paid, on
receipt of price, by the Publishers_,

    HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO., BOSTON.

 =AMERICAN POLITICAL IDEAS=, viewed from the Stand-point of Universal
 History. 12mo, $1.00. HARPER & BROTHERS, New York.


    THE IDEA OF GOD AS AFFECTED
    BY MODERN KNOWLEDGE

    [Illustration; Decorative symbol]

    BY JOHN FISKE

    [Illustration; Decorative panel]

    BOSTON AND NEW YORK
    HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY
    The Riverside Press, Cambridge
    1886


    Copyright, 1885,
    BY JOHN FISKE.

    _All rights reserved._


    _The Riverside Press, Cambridge_:
    Electrotyped and Printed by H. O. Houghton & Co.


    To

    MY WIFE,

    IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE SWEET SUNDAY MORNING
    UNDER THE APPLE-TREE ON THE HILLSIDE,
    WHEN WE TWO SAT LOOKING DOWN INTO FAIRY WOODLAND PATHS,
    AND TALKED OF THE THINGS
    SINCE WRITTEN IN THIS LITTLE BOOK,
    I now dedicate it.

           *       *       *       *       *

    +Arghyrion kai chrysion ouch hyparchei
    moi; ho de echo, touto soi didomi.+




  PREFACE


When asked to give a second address before the Concord School of
Philosophy, I gladly accepted the invitation, as affording a proper
occasion for saying certain things which I had for some time wished to
say about theism. My address was designed to introduce the discussion
of the question whether pantheism is the legitimate outcome of modern
science. It seemed to me that the object might best be attained by
passing in review the various modifications which the idea of God
has undergone in the past, and pointing out the shape in which it is
likely to survive the rapid growth of modern knowledge, and especially
the establishment of that great doctrine of evolution which is fast
obliging us to revise our opinions upon all subjects whatsoever.
Having thus in the text outlined the idea of God most likely to be
conceived by minds trained in the doctrine of evolution, I