Campaign Against ‘Deviationists’

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

Campaign Against ‘Deviationists’

(New Zealand Press Association)

AL’CKLAND, September 9.

A nation-wide Presbyterian association will be formed with the aim of discounting what have been described as recent attempts in the Presbyterian Church to introduce non-supernatural Christianity.

Earlier this year Professor L. G. Geering, principal of Knox Theological College. Dunedin, in two articles questioned the literal truth of the Biblical accounts of Christ’s resurrection.

At a meeting of Presbyterians in Auckland, held to establish the Association of Presbyterian Laymen, deep concern was expressed at “deviationist teaching on the resurrection and on other beliefs held by the meeting to be of the essence of Christian truth.” A written statement after the meeting said that confidence in the theological training of students for the Presbyterian Church had been deeply undermined by recent utterances.

Newspaper advertising throughout the country was being used to solicit support for the new. association, which would seek to remedy the position. Held under the patronage of Sir William Goodfellow and Sir James Fletcher, the

Auckland meeting raised more than £lOOO in contributions.

A public meeting will be held in the Auckland Town Hall on September 18 and a national laymen's conference in Wellington between October 7 and 9.