Support For Knox Hall

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31365, 10 May 1967, Page 20

Support For Knox Hall

A statement supporting freedom in Presbyterian theological education has been issued to all presbyteries and sessions by the theological education committee of the General Assembly.

The statement, received at the monthly meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery last night, said that as an assembly remit dealing with the aims and methods of theological education was soon to be discussed by presbyteries and sessions, it was essential to point out the exact nature of the challenge that the assembly was facing from a minority group.

“It distresses us deeply that whatever the personal convictions of members of that group (and for all sincere personal convictions of members in matters of faith we have the most profound respect) their leaders should have found it necessary to resort to inaccuracy, prejudice and insinuations based on hearsay

in their desire to discredit th< Hall staff,” the statement said. The Presbyterian Church had always stood squarely for an educated ministry. Any attempt to limit the scope of higher education, or for such to be bound to a compromise among all shades of popular opinion which were current at any period was nothing but a simple denial of the tradition of an educated ministry. While it had been the case in the past—and it would be also in the future—that the insights of scholars in any field, and specially in the sphere of theological training, might sorely vex those who personally felt convinced of other views, the freedom of the theological hall staff to write and teach what they believed had to be upheld. It would not be difficult to envisage the dire consequences of departure from the age-old tradition of an educated ministry, the statement said. “There is no halfway house in this matter. This is the fundamental issue, as the most elementary knowledge of church history will show.”

Included in the committee’s statement were copies of motions passed by a meeting of the students of Knox Hall deploring “the wild way generalisations and allegations have been made about the Hall staff and the Hall teaching, as in the latest Laymen’s Association news-sheet”, and supporting the present method of teaching used at the college.

The students said no evidence had been presented to them which substantiated the allegations made.