Pastoral Letter Causes Concern

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31540, 30 November 1967, Page 13

Pastoral Letter Causes Concern

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, November 28. The Southland branch of the Presbyterian Laymen’s Association is not happy with the pastoral letter released by the Presbyterian General Assembly after Professor Geering’s “trial”.

In a statement released after Its annual meeting, the association says: “While acknowledging the General Assembly’s pastoral letter as an attempt to interpret the recent theological debate to the Church at large, this association is concerned that the letter merely throws the door more widely open to exponents of secular Christianity. “Secular Christianity has a so-called scientific basis, instead of insisting on the acceptance of a Biblical faith involving a personal committal through Jesus Christ to the living, acting, personal

Creator-God, as empowered by the Holy Spirit.” The statement continues: “To those who are considering leaving the Church, we refer you to the closing paragraphs of the Rev R. J. Blaikie’s booklet, ‘Secular Christianity and the Church’:

“ "These decisive periods in the history of the Church are always times of almost intolerable tension, and there is a tendency for sensitive souls to flee from a Church under such strain, rather than staying with it to help it towards a right solution, later if not sooner, under the guidance of God’s spirit.’”