ANGLICAN CHURCH DOCTRINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11855, 6 January 1902, Page 5

ANGLICAN CHURCH DOCTRINE.

CONFERENCE ON CONFESSION

AND ABSOLUTION.-

By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright.

London, January 3. The Right Rev. A. F. WinYungton"Ingram (Bishop of London) has convened a 'conference of clergy representing the various schools of thought in the Anglican Church to discuss the question of confession and absolution, with a view to arriving at a solution of the divergent views held.

In October 1900, the then Bishop of London (Dr. Creighton) called together a conference to discuss " the doctrine of the Holy Communion and its expression in Ritual," his desire being " to bring together various phases of theological opinion as represented by theologians, whose training enabled them to talk a common language.. The object o"f the corijfcenco was that it should record opinions, not that it should attempt to elaborate new formulae." The present Bishop of London, in addressing his Diocesan Conference in June last, after expressing bis intention of continuing the policy of his distinguished predecessor, said "You will remember the. reasons ho (the late Bishop) gave for : believing in a Round-table Conference. These are his words-; 'We learn a great deal about opinions and the nature. of opinions when we see them, embodied, not in a series of abstract propositions on paper, but in the lives and characters of our fellow-men.' ' It is the repetition,' he said, 'of catchwords which aro not defined which tends to give vitality to a controversy.' 'We always tend to find,' lie said, ' in friendly conference exhibitions of that great principle that principles, after all, can be held in very different forms.' It was that large and generous belief in truth and human- nature which led him to trust so- much to the outcome of friendly conference and no one can read the report of the Round-table Conference at Fulham without seeing how largely his belief was justified. All there practically united on a formula which expressed the belief of every member in a Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Communion. Nov;, it is in such a spirit that we must solve the important, but, after all, not vitally important, questions which still await decision, a spirit of large-minded tolerance of one another, a determination -to avoid catch phrases, and look at things rather than words; and, while wo are absolutely loyal to our branch of the Holy Catholic Church, to unite in keeping that Church as comprehensive and largeminded as the Church of England has the right to be." The Diocesan Conference, 011 the 1 motion of Lord Halifax, seconded by Chancellor Smith (representing the two great parties in the Church), unanimously carried the following resolution; "That it be a request to the Lord Bishop to consider whether further conferences, similar to that convened by the late Bishop, for the purpose of discussion and mutual explanation, might i not bo continued with advantage in the in- ; terests of peace, and in the hope of removj ing differences which at present seem, to di- ; vide the Church."