“Open Pulpit”

Press, 30 November 1978, Page 16

“Open Pulpit”

Sir, — Until I watched the programme “Open Pulpit,” recently the name H.A.R.T. and Trevor Richards had only a vague meaning for me—- — stirrer who made trouble overseas, something to do with apartheid, but as I watched the truth of what he was really doing unfolded. Bob Lowe was on the attack from the start and I could not help wondering how he tied up his Christian teaching with his political beliefs. “Judge not that ye be not judged,” the Bible says and yet • every word was an accusation. On the other hand, Trevor Richards was showing Bob Lowe Christianity in action but did not profess to be a Christian. He believes as 1 do that God made all men equal. Canon Lowe should put his religion into action and leave -the TV to the politicians. — Yours, (MRS) IRIS WHITESIDE. November 17, 1978. [Canon R. A. Lowe, vicar of Fendalton, replies: “I should not be answering this letter because I find difficulty in discussing ‘Open Pulpit’ objectively. I think Mrs Whiteside suffers from the same complaint. Still it has stirred her response, and this is what it’s all about. In Trevor Richards your correspondent sees Christianity in action. I wonder? He dismissed contemptuously the verdict of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and, above all, the Secretary of the Commonwealth that New Zealand had adhered to the Gleneagles Agreement. When he quoted from the agreement he omitted certain portions of it, and was annoyed when I drew his attention to this. When he reported our supposed violations to the African States he resorted to trivia and quoted an inaccuracy although, in fairness, he was not aware of this at the time. Space prevents a full outline of my disappointment with Mr Richards. It is true that there were times that he made me angry but, unlike your correspondent, I do not see anger as being un-Christlike. Perhaps my geographical position leads me to dwell too much upon our Lord’s reaction to commercial interests in the temple. Despite my personal abhorrence of apartheid and my admiration of prophetic figures, I simply cannot see Mr Richards in the Messianic role. It would appear from

the large mail following the programme that most viewers shared my disappointment.”]