Church Has Unity Problems

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31677, 13 May 1968, Page 14

Church Has Unity Problems

The problem of the theologian who could wound or even destroy the body of the church was a new problem but one that had to be resolved, the Rev. J. O. Rymer said at a special synod of the diocese of Christchurch held on Saturday to discuss church union. Canon Rymer’s remarks were made during a long debate on a motion that the synod receive the Third Report of the Joint Commission to the Negotiating Churches. The motion was passed. Moving the motion, Mr S. R. Cuming, quoted the Archbishop of New Zealand (the Most Rev. N. A. Lesser) as saying that until the basis of union bad been worked out and published there was no means of viewing the problems involved. There would then be the need to discuss

every aspect of the problems. “1 know that unity does not mean uniformity, but we will find so many differences in practices, beliefs and prejudices that we may not be much closer in the new church than we are now,” said Mr Cuming. He said that the report posed the question of to what extent there must be agreement on doctrine and order before union could take place. “We must not dissipate those very treasures of faith and order which we wish to share with other churches. There is the dilemma and it cannot easily be resolved:

“There will have to be anomalies; it is part of the price to be paid towards better things. As a speaker in England has said, ‘We must go forward, but first there must be a more thorough reconnaissance of the land before us’ ” “Rea! Unity” “What we are aiming for is not merely reunion but a real unity,” said the Rev. R. A. Carson. "This is the real problei i that we are all concerned with—l must confess to an uneasiness about the whole matter, we still haven't got down to the things which are a concern.

“Are these new ‘insights,’ as we call them, corroding the very fundamentals of our beliefs? “I do not know how else we can achieve unity on these fundamental matters unless we get together, but we may fin j we have an organic unity yet have a cleavage which will split the whole business right down the middle. These things have to be resolved,” be said. On being asked by Canon Rymer to say more explicitly

what he meant, Canon Carson said:

“We must have freedom to think and interpret and express, but there are certain limits given in scriptures. There seems to be a tendency on the part of some theological thinkers these days to go in flat contradiction of the scriptures. “it is Impossible to join in one body people of such diverse opinions as these. There has to be a limit to how far we can go. We must have an assurance that the tradition of the scriptures, of the faith itself, will be preserved,” he said.

Canon Rymer said he shared the concern of Canon Carson. The Ven. S. E. Woods had used the idea of a garden with different flowers to illustrate the church with its variety of practice and beliefs. The garden, with its many flowers, was true of the church, but it appeared there were some fraudulent scents without any flower at all, said Canon Rymer. “Canon Carson is tending to say that in a particular church there is a theological influence akin to that scent that is accepted by the particular church. I am of the opinion that this is not true and that the Presbyterian Church was caught in a dilemma last year occasioned by respect for the freedom of a theologian to think respbnsib ly—if they had not allowed him that freedom he would have had to be convicted of heresy. “The het result was their statement of doctrine which was akin to ours, yet the statement of Professor Geering conflicted. I am certain there is a contradiction and it is up to them to resolve it.

“What do you do with a person such as a Geering or a Rymer wounding or even destroying the body of the church? This is a new situation. The theologian has a right to think—he does endeavour to inake clear the be liefs of his church's faith, bul he should make it clear that he speaks as a member of the community of that faith when he speaks as a member of the team.

“If he cannot speak as a part of the team we should ask if he belongs to this team. In America, some of those whose beliefs have differed from the rest of the team have moved out into the secular world. “Not All Flowers” “I believe there is a garden but it is not all flowers. It won’t be long before the flowerless scent is blown away,” said Canon Rymer. Mr Cuming said that it had been suggested he was critical of the Third Report, but he believed in facing ail the difficulties.

He said there was a great danger that there would be a church which would not know its own mind about anything much. “Unless we make our beliefs clear there will not be much driving or converting power in the new church and the snirit of separateness may manifest itself again,” he said. Other speakers said it was futile to stick to an interpretation such as Canon Carson wanted, and that church union would renew the church. Others said union had to be brought about by the parishioners, but they were often apathetic and more had to be done at the parish level.