"BARBARIANS"

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 135, 5 December 1934, Page 13

"BARBARIANS"

IN THE CHURCHES

FAITH MINUS KNOWLEDGE

ADDRESS BY DR. MOFFATT

Expressing the hopo that his words would not be taken as an encouragement of any "Pharisaism of higher enlightenment" among the clergy, Dr. James Mofl'att, tho eminent Biblical scholar and translator, in addressing a clerical audience at Levin on Monday, strongly advocated a fuller leaven of learning in present-day religion. The Veil. Archdeacon Bullock, Wellington, presided over an attendance of over sixty ministers, representing practically all tho Protestant churches in an area extending from Wellington to Wanganui, including Wairarapa and Manawatu;' .;.-..

"The Uneducated Man in Keligion" was the theme >of Dr. Moffatt, who in his opeaiing sentences referred to. aj motto, "Eruditis en religio," which had come under his notice at the dedication of a:Methodist theological seminary in the United States of America. '' That combination of learning and religion," observed Dr. Moffatt amid laughter, "is by no means to be taken for granted, whether.in America, or, I suppose, in New Zealand." While deprecating conceit of learning, as a vice of which not even ministers wore entirely guiltless^ the speaker equally deplored the. conceit of ignorance which, he was afraid, obtained among some, otherwise excellent church folk. Somo of these people might bo described, in St. Paul's sense of the word, as 'Barbarians'; that was to say, they were uneducated or halfeducated people—crude, provincial, unintelligent. By education, in this connection, he did. not necessarily mean academic or literary attainment: what he meant was that these people, while perhaps not dofijeient in the technical knowledge required in thoir particular craft or calling, were unversed in the controversies and great issues'of their religion, unlearned in tho historic truths and principles of the Christian faith. Not infrequently they were'even oppqs.od to reasoned' knowledge in these matters, distrustful of such knowledge, as if afraid of its consequences for faith. ' • The result of this lack of education was that pooplo often became unreasonably alarmed about the possible effects of scientific research on religion. _ They were influenced vby current opinion on these matters, as reflected hi newspaper or magazine articles,, or in the ex cathedra pronouncements of certain professors of science, novelists, journalists, even retired army or navy officers—people who perhaps cherished a measure of reserve regarding the formulae of their own special branches of learning, but who- were ready unhesitatingly and confidently, to . pronounce upon matters, beyond their own province, which had perplexed the greatest minds of the ages. COMPETENT TEACHERS NEEDED. The unlearned in religion, declared Dr. Moffatt, became also an easy mark for religious fads and cranks, the prey of the latest and loudest-voiced religious opinion. Tho situation, ho said, demanded competent teachers of the great facts and principles, of tho Christian faith, and tho giving of such instruction as would enable- the congregations to know their, religion;, not merely, to •kn'bw: about if. And. this instruction miist be given in a Christian spirit, remembering how.early Christianity wrote" the word "Brotherhood" across the vocabulary that hero the two opposing terms of ancient civilisation —'' Greek (synonym of culture) and "Barbarian. " ' It would be deplorable if such instruction were imparted by ministers as from a pedestal of intellectual superiority, and .in a spirit of sarcasm or superciliousness; They should rememr ber that many sterling folk in their churches, though having the vaguest notions of theology, and biblical or church history,- possessed nevertheless the "one thing needful."' What was necessary was ,to endeavour to show these good people that the '' simple Gost pel" they so o^ten asked for was perhaps by no. moms the simple thing it seemed, that.the,faith which they hold with such splendid cpnviction, arid upon, wfcich "they built the- fabric ; of their .thoughts and lives, had been formulated through centuries'of argument and discussion. " ■ '"'■ ■.'""'

The great Scriptural jdeals of love-, mercy, justice, for example, seemed simple things;, but they were found to be not quite so simple in their working out in personal relationships,'or social and political ' groups. "Indeed," added Dr. Moffa-tt, "history is strewn with the wrecks of well-meaning theories in such Matters, held by ardent souls in the economic and political spheres, engaged in launching pretty ships or arks of social salvation, all foredoomed to disaster, because constructed without 'adequate knowledge of the* facts of History."

Let the clergy,' he urged, buttress the faith of their people with adequate knowledge of-the facts of religious history, and they would not then be at the mercy of every wind of doctrine that might .blow. '. :• ... :

Dr. Moffatt indicated that while the pulpit might not, always be a suitable medium for detailed instruction in these matters, good use could be, made of Bible classes and. similar institutions.