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But whatever the deity which satisfied Arnold's personal experience may have been, the religion which he gives us in Literature and Dogma and God and the Bible is neither Deism nor bare Pan-Deism, but a diluted Positivism. As an ethical system it is in theory admirable, but its positive value is in the highest degree questionable. Pascal's judgment upon the God who emerged from the philosophical investigations of Rene Descartes was that He was a God who was unnecessary. And one may with even greater truth say that the man who is able to receive and live by the religion which Arnold offers him is no longer in need of its help and stimulus. To be able to appreciate an ethical idealism a man must himself be already an ethical idealist.

Matthew Arnold#125

PhilosophyCritiqueReligionEthics

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About this quote

What does it mean?
Arnold's religion is a diluted form of Positivism that may look good in theory but lacks real value. A person who needs this kind of religion likely already lacks the ethical strength it promises to provide.
In plain terms
Arnold's faith is weak and unnecessary for those who are already morally strong.
What can you take from it?
Ethical ideals only help those who are already ethical.

Where it applies

  • evaluating religious systems
  • assessing moral character
  • philosophical critique

Putting it to work

  • analyze religious claims
  • evaluate personal ethics

Questions to consider

  • Do you need religion to be ethical?
  • Is Arnold's critique fair?

Another view

It assumes ethical strength is a prerequisite rather than a result of religious practice.

More from Matthew Arnold

  1. Things and actions are what they are, and the consequences of them will be what they will be: why, then, should we desire to be deceived?'

    Permalink to quote #124

  2. The pursuit of the perfect, then, is the pursuit of sweetness and light.

    Permalink to quote #123

  3. There is no better motto which it [culture] can have than these words of Bishop Wilson, 'To make reason and the will of God prevail.'

    Permalink to quote #122

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