‘Calm Look At Modern Theology Needed’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31161, 10 September 1966, Page 25

‘Calm Look At Modern Theology Needed’

“A calm look” at modern I theology (to help the average | church member understand !what was of value and what [might be rejected) was a world-wide need, said the Rev. J. L. North on his return from Europe to be minister of the Bryndwr Baptist Church, Christchurch. “What worries me is the fear of some theologians who appear to be radical,” said Mr North. “These arguments have been going on for a long time, and ideas which have been commonplace for students are sometimes a great shock for people in the churches. "There is a great gap between scholastic theologians and people in the churches. New Zealand is no worse in this than other countries. There is a big challenge today to bridge that gap because both sides are becoming so interested.” Mr North said that in three years in Europe he had talked with Germans who were often the most radical, Englishmen who were more moderate, and Americans who were most advanced in using the discover-

ies of psychology with their > theology. Such discussions had continued for years, but only recently had they become topics of public interest. “Too often theological developments have remained in academic discussion and preaching has been isolated from this ferment,” said Mr North. “Some of the top theologians are completely different men in the pulpit. I know that not everything one studies goes into one’s preaching; but the public has shown its interest today.” Mr North said it was unfortunate, perhaps inevitable, that some assertions published out of their full context should cause misunderstanding. But perhaps it was good that people should be jolted into re-examining their beliefs. Mr North took a master of arts degree at Victoria University of Wellington, trained for the ministry in the New Zealand Baptist College in Auckland, and has just completed a bachelor of divinity degree after three years at the Ruschlikon Baptist Theological Seminary in Switzer-

land. The thesis was on British Baptists in the World Council of Churhes. He worked at a printing works in Dortmund and at a Devon holiday hotel during long vacations, and hitchhiked over most of Europe. He and his wife travelled home through the Holy Land, India, and South-east Asia. Mr North attended conferences of the Christian Peace Conference at Prague, Budapest and Moscow, the last two as representative of the New Zealand National Council of Churches. The conference was a “thoroughly respectable” body, he said, which was concerned that the cold war had separated Christians. It believed that Christians, “one in Christ,” above all others, should be able to help ease international tensions and break barriers. Mr North will be inducted this evening and conduct his first services at Bryndwr tomorrow. The photograph shows Mr and Mrs North on their arrival in Christchurch.