“TENSIONS” IN CHURCH

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31782, 12 September 1968, Page 6

“TENSIONS” IN CHURCH

Report Before Presbytery

A report on “varieties and tensions” in the Presbyterian Church, prepared last year by the life-and-work committee of the Presbyterian General Assembly, had been disappointing, particularly in its diagnosis and prescription for cure, said the Rev. J. S. Murray at the Christchurch Presbytery’s monthly meeting. Mr Murray said that he felt that the report had not gone deeply enough into the roots and causes of the division. "Varieties” in the report are set out under headings including spiritual experiences; ecclesiastical, ethical and theological views; and admission to membership. “Tensions” deal with matters concerning theology, intellectual freedom, evanegical and liturgical differences, clerical and lay differences, and church union. "Afraid Of Controversy” The Rev. C. L. Gosling, editor of the Presbyterian magazine "Outlook,” said that he felt that the reel cause of tension was that a great section of the church was afraid of the controversy which had come upon it with startling suddenness. "This is the main cause of tension, and in my view it has done the greatest damage,” he said.

Mr Gosling said that he was also concerned that many people preferred to discuss personalities who bad caused tensions rather than what had caused them. “I am shocked by the number of people whose only contribution has been to attack me or someone else involved," he said.