THE CHURCH AND THE WOULD

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21090, 15 February 1934, Page 4

THE CHURCH AND THE WOULD

INFLUENCE IN ECONOMIC! AFFAIRS ! DEHATK AT CHRISTCHI KCII j I'UKSRVTERY i Whether the church .should take an active interest in economic matters j and whether it should offer any ad-i vice or advocate the recognition of | any standard of morality in the i present disturbed state of world affairs were the subjects of a keen debate at yesterday's meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery. The discussion was provoked by a report from the economics sub-committee of the Assembly's public questions committee, setting forth its opinions and advice on the present condition of social and economic relationships, and emphasising the need for the church to take a deeper interest in such things. The Rev. J. A. Allan moved the adoption of the report. After surveying the main problems facing the community to-day and setting forth certain Christian standards to be recognised in the world of business and economics, the report, which was published in full in "The Press" of December 22 last, states: "We believe that it is important to affirm that the present world situation has deeper roots than merely economic considerations suggest. We are passing through a crisis of our civilisation which manifests itself in the spheres of science, philosophy, art, literature, social organisation, politics, morality, and religion, as well as in the sphere of economics. Men have tried to base the world's life on the things of time, and have assumed the self-sufficiency of man. We thus conceive that the supreme contribution of the Christian Church to the solution of present problems and to the restoration of civilisation is in maintaining the reality of the things unseen and eternal, i and in asserting that all life must depend on God, as He is revealed to us in His holiness and love in Jesus Christ our Lord." "By No Means a Solution." Mr Allan said the report had been drawn up in the hope of directing to some extent Christian thinking on economic matters during a time of general disturbance. The report was by no means a solution, but it had been realised that the church had largely neglected these problems in the past. In many ways it was a strange neglect. The church had been very sensitive to paganism in other spheres, particularly in the sphere of sexual morality, but it had not been sensitive to paganism in the economic sphere. Churchmen had been prepared to hand over that side of life to chance and economic laws. The committee which drafted the report wished only that it should prove provocative of thought among church people. The Rev. J. Johnston said that the report contained nothing but pious platitudes and worthless statements on economic problems. It neglected any reference to war debts, which must be recognised as one of the most disturbing influences in the world today. No good could arise from the adoption and publication of the report—in fact, some harm might result. The Presbytery should save its face by turning down the report.

The Amendment Mr Johnston ottered the following amendment to the motion:— "Inasmuch as economic experts all over the world differ widely in regard to the cause of the present economic world crisis, this Presbytery expresses no opinion on the subject, but desires to put on record its unalterable conviction that only in the exercise of goodwill among the nations of the world, one towards another, can world problems be solved, and, further, that the exercise of such goodwill is possible only in ihe service of the Lord Jesus Christ."

Mr A. J. McEldowney advocated the adoption of the committee's report. He said that although some might regard it as a mere collection of "pious platitudes," it was in • reality much more than that. The Presbytery might not think itself competent to make any detailed contribution to the solution of economic problems, but there were certain standards which must be recognised and lived up to in the economic sphere. The report was a good and sound basis of judgment in this respect and, as such, it should be supported. Problem of the Church The Rev. T. Paterson said he doubted very much if a Christian minister had any valuable advice to offer on economic problems. The main problem of the church was to evangelise men and to send out Christians fit to influence others in the realm of economic morality. The church would accomplish far more if it brought the spirit of Christianity to the business community, allowing men engaged in business to strive for equitable economic distribution. Mr Allan: That is what the report is intended for. Mr Paterson: The report is futile and most ordinary. It says nothing we have not heard before, and nothing that is m the least informative. The Rev. T. W. Armour suggested that: the report should be referred back to the committee. This suggestion brought a protest from Mr Allan, who said that the debate had been singularly futile. The report had been brought forward not as a solution but as a contribution to thought on economic matters. The committee had not received any indication of what the Presbytery desired to do. In any case, the matter must not be dropped. "We are not to sit here like dumb dogs when men are distracted by economic trouble," he said. In the end the motion and Mr Johnston's amendment were withdrawn and the report was referred back to the committee, which was strengthened by the addition of several members. Mr Allan said he would be glad to receive suggestions or advice from any member of the Presbytery.