“Christianity By No Means Finished”

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31880, 7 January 1969, Page 12

“Christianity By No Means Finished”

“The glib assumption that Christianity is finished is intellectually contemptible,” the Rev. Gregory Wilkins, Super-ior-Director of the Society of Sacred Missions, an Anglican religious order, said in Christchurch yesterday. “It is obvious that there is a decline in Christianity with the changes in society, and although there are no obvious signs of an increase, Christianity is by no means finished,” he said. Father Wilkins who has been a member of the order since 1934 and Superior-Di-rector since 1962, is the first member to visit New Zealand. He said the order, which had 75 members, was most active in the educational field, particularly universities, although it also taught 90

theological students in England and 50 in Australia.

In England the number of clergy in the Anglican Church was going down but last year the number in Australia offering themselves as students had been larger than normal. The average Anglican was not aware of the religious life and in some cases had never heard of religious orders, particularly those for men, he said. More knowledge could be given to parishioners by their clergy.