Religion of the Pharisee the Religion of Mankind - Dr Jennifer Bryson

Dr Jennifer Bryson, (English translator of Ida Friederike Görres’ (1901–1971) long lost mid-20th century work, John Henry Newman – A Life Sacrificed (Ignatius Press)) looks at sermon 2 of Newman’s Sermon Preached on Various Occasions, “Religion of the Pharisee, the Religion of Mankind,” preached on July 20, 1856. Dr. Bryson finds that Newman, by defining the characteristic marks of a Christian, distances his audience from the vague notion of truth found in relativism and the mushy ecumenicism where all religious paths are understood to lead to the same place. Newman asks us to consider that the true Christian is headed towards holiness by recognizing that we need God and that sin distances us from God. We need to look to the saints to find ways to seek God. The saints reorient their entire life because of their inward self aims for God in Jesus Christ through lives led by never ending thankfulness and perpetual humiliation. Newman uses Peter, Job, Isaiah, and Daniel as examples of saints that are aware of the fall but are not conquered it. The saints give us insight into their apprehension of God and His claim on us. They are careful to not embrace an insufficient sense of obedience and duty. Newman describes the Pharisee as an example of this insufficient sense of obedience and duty by standing merely approved in their own sight. They are careless to know what God says of them. Rather the true Christian asks how God judges me beyond what the people of this world expect. The Pharisee considers themselves the measure of their own excellence. Worldly duties have a narrow horizon when contrasted with heavenly duties. When God is perceived as perfection there is always a gap between man and the Divine. The saints accept the gap yet are not disheartened - they try to lessen the gap. The worldly role models have no fear of future scrutiny whereas the saints love the standard that God’s mercy offers. The saints love that they are in relationship with God. They don’t need to be self-actuated, self-fulfilling, self-guides. They are connected to and reliant on God. They find their connection in their conscience. When conscience is disconnected from the Divine, we are left with natural conscience of man which is content that it tells him very little since it has access to only part of the moral law. Natural conscience is not sufficient. True conscience understands its limit because the holder of that conscience understands that I am a sinner and I need God’s grace. The separation of moral reason from obedience to God is the real root of every degeneration of conscience. Only both, inseparably united, form a healthy conscience. 

 Dr. Bryson suggests the text The Church and the Flesh (Cluny Media) as a starting point to discover Görres brilliant insights into the spiritual life.  

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.