The Liberal Theology of James Ernest Davey

HERO OR HERETIC? THE LIBERAL THEOLOGY OF JAMES ERNEST DAVEY A thesis submitted to the University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities 2016 DAVID CHAPMAN SCHOOL OF ARTS, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES 2 Contents Chapter One: Introduction 10 A. Introduction 10 B. Davey’s Life and Career 11 C. Davey’s Importance 12 D. Research Questions 14 E. Methodology 15 F. The Scholarly Evaluation of Davey’s Theology 16 1. W.J. Grier 17 2. R. N. Cross 22 3. Austin Fulton 25 4. John Thompson 46 G. Conclusion 51 PART ONE: THE HERESY TRIAL 60 Chapter Two: The Context of the Trial 60 A. The Core Issue of the Heresy Trial 60 B. The Perceptions of the Different Parties 60 C. The Trial Procedure 68 Chapter Three: Imputation 74 A. Introduction 74 B. The Complainants’ Conception of Davey’s Views 76 C. The Alleged Inadequate Areas of Davey’s Thought 80 1. Substitution 80 3 2. Christ Had Let God Down 83 3. Paul’s Philosophy of Sin and his Psychology 83 4. The Transferability of Guilt 86 5. The Irrationality of Imputation 90 6. The Necessity of Identification for Justification 92 7. Forgiveness of Future Sins 93 8. Quantitative Satisfaction 94 9. Forgiveness Associated Only with the Death of Christ 96 10. Socinianism and Arianism 98 11. The Fundamentals 102 Chapter Four: The Person of Christ 104 A. Introduction 104 B. Davey’s Presentation of his Christology 106 C. Davey’s Explanation of the Passages from his Books Cited in the Charge 111 D. Davey’s Explanation of the Passages from Students’ Lecture Notes cited in the Charge 114 E. Outline of Davey’s Lecture on the Agony of Gethsemane and Calvary 115 F. Summary of Davey’s position as Stated in his Plea 116 G. Conclusion 117 Chapter Five: Scripture 119 A. Introduction 119 B. Davey’s Interpretation of the Westminster Confession of Faith 4 Chapter One – of the Holy Scripture 121 C. Themes in Davey’s Understanding of Scripture 133 1. Love and Grace 133 2. The Holy Spirit, Experience, Inspiration 133 3. The Divine and the Human in Scripture 135 4. The Princeton Theology and Fundamentalism 135 5. The Sufficiency of Scripture 136 6. Jesus and the Finality of Scripture 138 Chapter Six: God and Sin 141 A. Introduction 141 B. The Changing Vesture of the Faith, page 80 147 C. Our Faith in God, page 53 148 Chapter Seven: The Trinity 151 A. Introduction 151 B. The Westminster Confession of Faith 152 C. New Testament Evidence 153 D. The Trinity 153 E. Subordination 155 F. The Personality of the Holy Spirit 157 G. Evidence of Specific Texts in Scripture for the Trinity 159 1. The Old Testament 159 2. The New Testament 159 H. The Development of Non-Scriptural Terminology 161 5 I. The Potential for Continuing Development of the Doctrine of the Trinity 161 PART TWO: DAVEY’S THEOLOGY 163 General Introduction 163 Chapter Eight: Christology 165 A. Introduction 165 B. The Biblical Sources for Davey’s Christology 166 C. Terminological Problems in Davey’s Theology 167 D. The Jesus of History and the Christ of Faith 172 E. The Dependence of Christ 186 1. The Consciousness of Christ 188 2. Sonship 191 3. Mysticism 193 4. Miracles 194 F. The Two Natures Doctrine 196 1. Dissatisfaction with Chalcedon 196 (a) Dissatisfaction with the Philosophy of the Chalcedonian Definition 199 (b) Dissatisfaction with the Psychology of the Chalcedonian Definition 199 2. The Divinity and Humanity of Christ 205 (a) The Divinity of Christ 205 (b) The Humanity of Christ 210 3. Davey’s Claim to have Removed Problems Arising from the 6 Chalcedonian Approach to Christology 214 G. Kenotic Christology 217 H. The Finality of Christ 224 Chapter Nine: Conclusion 229 A. Introduction 229 B. Davey’s Orthodoxy 229 C. Davey’s Liberalism 232 D. The Contemporary Significance of Davey’s Theology 238 1. The Heresy Trial 238 2. Davey’s Christology 239 3. Davey’s Universalism as the Basis for Interfaith Dialogue 241 4. Davey and the Church in Ireland Today 244 5. Fundamentalism 245 6. The Cultural Context of Theology 248 E. Davey: Hero or Heretic? 249 Bibliography 250 Appendices 254 Appendix 1: The Charges Brought Against Professor Davey 254 Appendix 2: Epigraphs of Fulton’s Biography of Davey 263 Appendix 3: Correspondence Between Austin Fulton and Ian Paisley 264 Appendix 4: Letter from J. L.M. Haire to Austin Fulton 266 Total Number of Words: 78984 7 Abstract This thesis is arguably the first extensive academic study of the controversial Northern Irish Presbyterian theologian James Ernest Davey (1890-1960). The thesis begins by introducing the reader to the biography of Davey and indicating why he is a significant figure in the Northern Irish context, before examining the limited literature that is available and exposing its weaknesses. After the Introduction the dissertation falls into two main parts, the first examining Davey’s Trial for heresy (Chapters Three to Seven), the second considering Davey’s theology apart from the Trial and as it appears in his writings, published and unpublished, (Chapter Eight). Part One opens, in Chapter Two, with a consideration of the context of the Heresy Trial, while Chapters Three to Seven discuss the individual charges of heresy levelled against Davey. In each of these chapters we examine the theological doctrine that was the subject of dispute between Davey and his theological adversaries, namely, Imputation, Person of Christ, Scripture, God and Sin, and Trinity. Our discussion of the individual charges enables us to come to a preliminary conclusion concerning to what extent, if any, the charges against Davey were justified, but it also provides us with the basis upon which we can begin to identify Davey’s own distinctive theological position. The second part of the thesis is devoted to a close reading of the central principle of Davey’s theology, namely Christology, which we will take as a case-study to help us illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of Davey’s theology and the legitimacy or illegitimacy of the charges of heresy that were laid against him. Christology has been chosen because it is the link between the various charges levelled against Davey at the Heresy Trial. Part Two of the thesis will enable us to answer the question whether Davey was a theological hero in the Northern Ireland context or a heretic, as his opponents claimed him to be. The conclusion of the thesis is that Davey played an important role in introducing a much needed liberal strand into Northern Irish Presbyterianism, but recognizes the way he sometimes formulated this theology laid him open to misunderstanding. The thesis ends with a reflection on the continued significance of Davey’s theology today. 8 Declaration I declare that no portion of the work referred to in the thesis has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning. 9 Copyright Statement i. The author of this thesis (including any appendices and/or schedules to this thesis) owns certain copyright or related rights in it (the “Copyright”) and s/he has given The University of Manchester certain rights to use such Copyright, including for administrative purposes. ii. Copies of this thesis, either in full or in extracts and whether in hard or electronic copy, may be made only in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended) and regulations issued under it or, where appropriate, in accordance with licensing agreements which the University has from time to time. This page must form part of any such copies made. iii. The ownership of certain Copyright, patents, designs, trade marks and other intellectual property (the “Intellectual Property”) and any reproductions of copyright works in the thesis, for example graphs and tables (“Reproductions”), which may be described in this thesis, may not be owned by the author and may be owned by third parties. Such Intellectual Property and Reproductions cannot and must not be made available for use without the prior written permission of the owner(s) of the relevant Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions. iv. Further information on the conditions under which disclosure, publication and commercialisation of this thesis, the Copyright and any Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions described in it may take place is available in the University IP Policy (see http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=487), in any relevant Thesis restriction declarations deposited in the University Library, The University Library’s regulations (see http://www.manchester.ac.uk/library/aboutus/regulations) and in The University’s policy on Presentation of Theses. 10 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION A. Introduction James Ernest Davey (1890-1960) was a controversial figure. On the one hand he evoked respect and admiration. He has been described by his admirers as an outstanding man and a great scholar, orthodox and a champion of theological freedom.1 Some of his contemporaries, such as Austin Fulton and T. A. B. Smyth, hailed him as a prophet and saw him as a theological hero standing up for a new way of doing theology in the Northern Ireland context.2 On the other hand, his opponents condemned him as a heretic and a threat to the integrity of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.3 Hero or heretic? That is the question this thesis aims to answer. Davey was clearly a person who elicited extremes of response. For this reason Davey can function as a prism for viewing the political and theological tensions that were present in the Presbyterian Church, particularly in Northern Ireland, in the first part of the twentieth century.

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