NEW PAGANISM

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12750, 4 January 1936, Page 9

NEW PAGANISM

CHURCHMAN'S VIOLENT ... ONSLAUGHT. IF CHURCH IS TO SURVIVE. MUST UK IN. NOT OF, THE WORLD. ” r |TFIE New Paganism” was attacked by the Bishop of Winchester (Dr. Cyril Forster Garbott) in his presidential address to the Church Congress at. Bournemouth recently, says the “Daily Telegraph.” Referring to the perplexity and bewilderment caused by some of the discoveries of our day and Biblical criticism, Dr. Garbet said: “Discoveries and conclusions such as these have made it difficult for many to retain the faith of their childhood. “Their perplexities have been increased by the way in which some of the. popular interpreters of science have used ils discoveries as weapons in a campaign against Christianity. They have lost, no opportunity of announcing that it lias been discredited by modern thought., and that no educated man of ordinary intelligence can any longer believe that Christianity is tme.

“A deliberate attack is now made on it. on these lines; cheap literature criticising the faith from the alleged standpoint of science is sold almost, everywhere and is widely read. Much of this attack is grossly unfair. j “But. more dangerous than a hostile intollectualism is the growth of a frankly pagan outlook on life. The modern man is so absorbed in the cares of this life, and still more in its attractiveness, beauty and pleasures, that- often lie has neither the wish nor the time to consider anything beyond it. | “.Some of our modern writers, ' such as D. H. Lawrence in his letters and Mr H. G. Wells in his autobiography, show a real hatred of Christianity; hut l liev are exceptional. ’ ;

“Most of (heir contemporaries simply ignore it ; Arnold Bennett, with a fairly frequent scornful jrfbo; Galsworthy. so truly Christian in his compassion, hardly mentions it. The younger novelists, with one or two exceptions, refuse to treat, it seriously.

“The modern pagan has few violent hates; usually he is happy himself and wishes others to tie happy. Tn his views he is kindly and tolerant, but with no strong convictions. He has no hostility to Christianity; he is willing to speak of it with respect as he recognises that it is congenial to certain temperaments, and that on public occasions the Church is useful in providing a. seemly and dignified ceremonial.

“He is not conscious of any need for God or for the help of any power from above. He has little sense of siti: if he should experience it lie attributes it to some obscure complex and seeks for lie]]) from a psychoanalyst. “Ho claims the right to choose for himself his moral standards, especially in matters of sox, irrespective of Christian teaching. Chastity before marriage he often regards as a stupid taboo. Divorce he treats as Ihc natural escape from marriage if it does not. afford him the happiness he expected, or if his affections are attracted by some other woman. “He looks upon a life after death , as a remote possibility far too uncertain to influence his existence, here. His plans, his hopes, his ideals are all limited to this world. Ho treats as unreasonable and absurd the statement that God has paramount, claims upon his allegiance and his life. | “It is this paganism which has been spreading through all classes that, is by far the most insidious foe which confronts Christianity at the present time. j “The danger to which Christianity iu Great Britain is exposed arises from the permeation of society with • the secularist, outlook, the tacit ignoring of other-wordly claims and ideals, and the gradual mass organisation of society on a purely secular basis. As this takes place legislation will follow on matters of health, education, marriage, and the. family, without reference to Christian faith and morals. “I am convinced that the chief issue of pur day is whether civilisation in the future will be built on a materialistic or Christian foundation. Beside this, all other questions fall into relative, insignificance.” j Dr. Garbett- made a strong plea for greater unity among the Christian churches. In a reference to the question of the disestablishment of the Church of England, the Bishop said that within a few months the report of the Commission on Church and State would help them in forming an opinion as to whether the time had come for some change in the. historical relationship between the two. He added : , “If the Church to-day is to survive it must be in the world, but not of the world. It- must not he so closely attached to its temporal possessions < that- it cannot cast them aside if they < prove a hindrance to obeying the call ’ of the Master. It must be ready if : need be to abandon its privileges and 1 endowments if the conditions of the i i age are such that it can best bear 1 its witness to its Lord in poverty, suffering, and hardship.” I