The Dominion FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 1928. CHURCH OF ENGLAND EMPOWERING BILL

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 260, 3 August 1928, Page 10

The Dominion FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 1928. CHURCH OF ENGLAND EMPOWERING BILL

The Empowering Bill now before the Legislative Council repicsents the desires of the General Synod of the Church of the Province of New Zealand (commonly called the - Church of England). t deals with matters of fundamental importance to members of the Anglican Church and of great interest to the whole community. g During the last quarter of a century the need for a revision of the Book of Common Prayer has become increasingly plain, and the results of modern Biblical scholarship have been forcing the Chu'ch to consider the desirability of adopting a new version of the Bible. But the fundamental provisions of the constitution of the Zealand Church make it extremely difficult, if not absolutely impossible, for General Synod, the supreme governing body ot the Church, to authorise any changes as regards the Bible oi 1 rayer Book. As these fundamental provisions are declared to be unalt able it has been found necessary to obtain the assistance of Parliament in making a way out of a situation which threatens seriously to hinder the progress of the Church as a living and growing institution. Certain claus.es of the constitution were framed in accordance with a mistaken forecast of political and religious history, and have become unworkable, obsolete, and inapplicable. There is no State Church in New Zealand, and Parliament has no direct concern with the doctrine, discipline, or ritual of the Anglican Church, or of any other Church. _ But the property of religious bodies, as of all other institutions, is held in accordance with the law of the land, and in order to safeguard the property of the Anglican Church it is considered necessary to obtain an Act of Parliament before any changes in the formularies of the Church are'made. General Synod has been compelled to face .the possibility -remote though it may bc-that if it adopted a new Prayer Book or a new version of the Bible, a small minority of irreconcilab e dissentients might claim to be the real Church of the 1 rovmce of Lew Zealand and appeal to the law courts for possession of the whole of the Church’s property. . Some authorities hold that General Synod pas full power to make the required alterations without the support of Act of Parliament, but it is generally felt that the risk would be too great, and the Empowering Bill has been prepared in order to remove all possibility of disaster. The Bill is regarded as a cautious and conservative measure. It leaves the Church constitution untouched. It asks Parliament, however, to declare that, notwithstanding anything to the conti ayy contained in the constitution, it shall be lawful for the Church to adopt a new Prayer Book, or a new version of the /Bible, without losing its identity or endangering its title- to its property. Ihe General Synod of 1925 favoured a much more radical and adventurous method of procedure. It drew up a Bill for presentation to Parliament which would empower Synod to alter the constitution, including the fundamental provisions, in any way as new needs, necessities, and circumstances might from time to time demand. This would probably be the most thorough and most logical course to take; but it is too thorough for some members of the Church, who fear that it might result in changes in ritual and doctrine that might alter the whole character of the Church. Since 1925 further consideration has been given to the matter, and an effort has been made to meet the desires and allay the fears of the more conservative section of the Church. . Negotiations and cdnferences resulted in the compromise, which is embodied in the Bill accepted by General Synod a few s months ago and now before Parliament. The supporters of the 1925 Bill have agreed to accept much less than they hoped for. They realise no doubt the great desirableness of practical unanimity, and, in order to secure such unanimity, they have agreed to make important concessions. The Empowering Bill has been presented to Parliament with the approval of General Synod. But it is the duty of Parliament to give proper consideration to a matter of such great importance to an institution which includes in its membership well over forty per cent, of the population of New Zealand. It is the business of Parliament to see that no injustice is done. It must satisfy itself that the proposals contained in the Bill are in accordance with the wishes of Church people, and it should be borne in mind that the laity form the overwhelming majority of the Church. Parliament has, therefore, a right to ask for proof that the Bill has the general support of the laity. The promoters of the Bill arc fortunately able to show that the laity hold a very strong position in the governing bodies of the Church of the Province of New Zealand. No changes can be made without their concurrence. Nothing can be done without the con-sent-of the three orders —bishops, clergy, and laity—voting separately. This means that any Bill or resolution could be rejected by the vote of a majority of the lay members of' Synod, even if it had the unanimous approval of the other two orders; The lay members thus have a very real veto, and they have used it effectively on many occasions.

Parliament will certainly give great weight to the fact that the Empowering Bill has received the unanimous sanction of all three orders. The passing of the Bill would not mean that General Synod will adopt the new English Prayer Book or the Revised, or any other version of the Bible.% It merely gives power to make such changes. General.'Synod may eventually adopt the new Prayer Book as it stands, or it may adopt it with important modifications. or it may make an independent revision in accordance with the special circumstances and spiritual needs of its own people. The enactment of the Empowering Bill is a necessary preliminary step.