Religion and Science
9. A Last Word
~ 140 ~
accordance with the nature and spirit of
Absolute Reality or, in theistic terms, with the
will of God — all these fellow seekers are
engaged in an identical quest. They should
recognize that they are spiritually brethren
and should feel towards one another, and
treat one another as such. Toleration does not
become perfect until it has been transfigured
into love.
3
Thus countless versions of religion appear to be in
existence. The
Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics
has
discovered 22 different concepts of god extant in
different societies and it discusses the concept of
God under 22 separate headings.
3. It follows that such an interpretation deprives the
terms
‘prophethood’
and
‘termination
of
prophethood’ of their normal significance. Toynbee
writes:
The historian’s point of view is not
incompatible with the belief that God has
revealed Himself to Man for the purpose of
helping Man to gain spiritual salvation that
would be unattainable by Man’s unaided
