Evolutionary-Emergent Worldview and Anglican Theological Revision: Case Studies from the 1920s

This essay explores the theological work of Anglicans in the 1920s in response to the changes in intellectual culture brought about by “emergence” interpretations of evolutionary theory. Exploring the theologies of prominent Modernists and liberal Anglo-Catholics, specifically regarding anthropology and soteriology, the author concludes that on the criterion of internal consistency the Modernists were more successful. The author contends that one cannot fully appreciate the differences between Modernists and liberal Anglo-Catholics on matters of doctrine without accounting for the interplay of doctrine with aspects of worldview and metaphysics that mediate the expression of doctrine.