A SIMPLER GREED

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 148, 26 June 1925, Page 9

A SIMPLER GREED

MAINTENANCE OF CHRIS* ,TIAN FAITH £

DR. MAJOR'S ADVOCACY FOR

REFORM

(FROM ODR OWN CORRESPONDENT.?

LONDON, 14th May; Tho Rev. Dr. H. D. A. Major, Principal of Eipdn Hall, Oxford, preaching before the University of Cambridge, took for his subject the theme of "the union between the Gospel of Jesus and the thought of the age.." Dr. Major said that the Church -was faced with a crisis, due to the cumulative results- of a long campaign which had^had for its objects the "Catholicising,^ in other, words, the "niedievalising, of the English Church with the object of reuniting her with Latin Uinstianity. For himself he regarded • what had happened recently in the House of Clergy with regard to Prayer ■Book revision as far less serious than what had been happening for years in tho parishes. There the introduction of medieval teaching and practices had been accompanied (for the most part) by the desertion of large bodies of men and women from the Church of their fathers. The remedy was to be found in organisation for education. Only thus could- the reactionary movement be checked. That educational task was of two kinds. Tho Church's official theology and portions of the Prayer Book which enshrined that theology, were out of date m a number of ways, and needed reformation. Very serious efforts had been made during the last three-quarters of a century to reform the Church's theology but they had been mainly unofficial. Tei-1 nolo doctrines, such as that of everlasting torment, the depravity of human nature, the Divine command for an expiatory atonement, had been discredited and abandoned; nevertheless the Prayer Book still retained them. Other doctrines, such as that of the resurrection • of the flesh, and that of tie inerrancy of the Scriptures, had been greatly weakened. In the latter case Divine inspiration had been acknowledged not to guarantee infallibility. ' GREAT SCOPE FOR LAYMEN, The work of theological reformation must be mainly carried on by Christian clergymen, but there was to-day great' scope in the undertaking for educated ■ English laymen. Historians, philosophers, scientists of mark could all be'bf great help to the Church in the effort io achieve theological reformation if tbev would not only point out where the bhurch s doctrines appeared to th'<m to | bo in conflict with truth, but a>.so how they thought any particular doctrine might be reformulated bo. as, to be in agreement with modern knowledge Only so would they get a living theology which would really grip the modern man. Great numbers to-dfcy -were not professing Christians becavise of what they regarded as the impossible character of the Church s theology.. They were kept outside because of the Church's absurd and, v ho believed, quite-nn-ChrUtian emphasis, upon &9 importance of assent to a number of Intellectual propositions. In the light o/f the eynoptio teaching of Our Lord, it -would appear that, in order to be a dis/jiple of Jesus, and bo to be admitted r \member of His Church, no more ought io be required—and yet how much that was—than that the disciple should call Him Lord and Master and strive •to follow Urn in daily life. To the man who had heard Christ's invitation: "Come- ye after Me," dare they insist that before he might join the company of the Disciples 0? Jesus, he must first affirm his belief in: a number" of propositions mainly of a" metaphysical and historical character? that cometh unto Me I will not" in no wise cast out." Amo, not credo, was tht Christian creeds A SIMPLE FAITH NEEDED. Some feared that sucE a, simplification of Church dogmas would cause the Church to lose its faith. The Society of Friends proved that that danger was non-existent. Christian faith was not • maintained by the recitation of creeds which, in too many cases, were only half believed and half understood; it was maintained by seeking and obeying the Spirit of Christ. Others feared that a simplified theology would ' render reunion with Home and possibly with the Orthodox Eastern Churches impossible. No doubt it might for some time to come • ' bnt later it would be found to assist real reunion of divided Christendom. Fcf practical purposes they needed a true an 1 . very simple faith expressed in the brief*, est and simplest of' formularies. Such a simplification need in no v way conflict with the Church's historic position, her ancient order, or the liturgical beauty of her services, but it should enable many to become her members, and even to serve in her ministry, who could not do so at present. The other great educational task-was to secure an adequately trained body of clergy. The Church seemed to have got imprisoned in a vicious circle. The growth of materialism and superstition accounted largely for the poor quality of the ordinands; the poor quality of the ordinands contributed largely to the grow,th of materialism and superstition. The strength and influence of the English . clergy in the past had lain in their close connection with the/Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. It had given them breadth and culture. But that close connection with the Universities was steadily weakening. The Church authorities had made great efforts since the war to secure and train ordinands, but, in'a Eensa, those efforts were begun at the wrong end. A simplified modern theology and revised Prayer and Hymn Book's should have been the first ob'jec- ' tives, and then these should have been 1 followed up by the provision of a larger ■ number of bursariej and exhibitions to enable men to obtain a university education. Only so could the present shortage_ of ordinands be remedied. From the national point of view it would: surely prove a calamity if the great bulk of the clergy ceased to be trained at the universities. There was no need for panic, but there was a great need for thoughtful and organised action.