World of Religion

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22777, 10 July 1937, Page 7 (Supplement)

World of Religion

By PHILEMON

NEED FOR REVERENCE IN WORSHIP

THE Times Literary Supplement, in a recent number reviewing the life and thought of the century between the accession of Queen Victoria and the Coronation of King George VI., has a remarkable survey of the developments that have taken place in Biblical and theological scholarship. Daring the period in question, wo are told, there have been five movements of special importance which have by no means yet worked themselves out. They include the growth of the liberal spirit, the development of Biblical criticism, tho restatement of the Christian ethic in the light of both industrialism and new problems of individual morality, and tho recasting of Christian philosophy to accord with modern concepts and tho new discoveries of science. As we look back upon these stirring years tho alarums and excursions of tho mid-nineteenth century make strange reading. Then the battle for freedom of thought was at its height and in tho Church good men, fearful for tho safety of tho ark, challenged and wounded each other. When the famous "Essays and Reviews" appeared in 18(30 men like Temple, who later became Archbishop of Canterbury and Jowett of Bailliol, Avere pilloried as heretics of the first degree. Storm ot Condemnation Bishop Colenso, in 18G2, brought a storm of condemnation upon himself and was temporarily deposed from tho bishopric of Natal [or views about the Pentateuch, most of which are the commonplace of to-day. And when "Kcce Homo" was published in 18(3G, a book which with beauty and insight dwelt upon our Lord's teaching and the human aspects of His life, tho terrible comment'of Lord Shaftesbury is said to have been—"A book vomited from hell." Even the mild heresies of Charles Gore in "Lux Mundi," so late as the 'nineties plunged Canon Liddon into "misery" and made tho future bishop suspect in wide'circles. ( But as Dr. Denny was wont to say: "True criticism is a science and will go its own length, and we must go along with it," meaning of course, that tho findings of sincere scholarship must bo taken into account and can be challenged only by equal scholarship. Today in all churches there are competent and gifted scholars, of undoubted evangelical sympathies, who are leading us into a constructive era in which the positive note will give new strength to the Christian message. Modern Progress in Theology Hence the striking conclusion to the article in question—"lt may be doubted whether any department of learning shows more progress in the years 183719.57 than theology . . . the progress in natural science is not so great as in theology . . . the world of Puse.v and Hampden is to-day as remote as the Middle Ages . . . the spirit of inquiry is keener than ever, new sources of knowledge are coming to light, and not least important, there has never been among English theologians so much mutual forbearance and readiness to learn from one another." Such words will bring encouragement to thousands of those who love truth and pursue it and they surely forecast a" day near at hand when in onr nation there will come a great recovery of faith and a revival of earnest spiritual religion.

Something was said last week about prayer as a rest-cure amid the stress of modern life and an article by "ilieo" opens up another aspect of the question, in church and in private devotion what should be our attitude in prayer? Attitude in Prayer In Scripture no particular attitude is laid down. There we read of men kneeling, falling prostrate on their faces, standing upright, even lying on their beds. Probably a sitfvey of worldwide religious practice would show that the standing posture is by far the most common. "The attitude is quite immaterial," said John Calvin, "only let every man say and do in this matter according to his own circumstances and his own experiences." Each person then may assume the attitude which to him best aids devotion and begets a fit reverence of spirit. The one impossible thing is slovenliness and less deference before God than is shown when one's' hostess enters the /room or an approach is made to kingly dignity or its representative. In many churches conveniences for kneeling are provided and generally used, but in others the only posture possible is that of sitting upright or bonding forward in a difficult and constrained position. The discomfort of this latter attitude after a few minutes has led to its abandonment in very many cases and it is no uncommon thing in some places of worship to see scores of people sitting erect 111 their seats during prayer, some of them with their eyes open. Chatterers Unashamed Surely there is need to correct the increasing lack of reverence in worship which recent years have brought. Little knots of young folk stand talking about general happenings outside tlio church door till the very hour for service strikes, church officers and their friends make the vestibule gay with greetings that disturb the waiting congregation. Within the church chatterers are unashamed —the old-fashioned pause for prayer and devotional thought before worship begins is everywhere imperilled. Here are matters which seein to call for attention and for a better training of children and youth in reverence and decorum. The question is often asked as to how far the Churches adhere to their doctrinal standards and what demands they make for their acceptance by their members. The reply given to a question in the "Question Box" column of Zealandia, the official organ of the Roman Catholic Church, has in view of this, special interest. "Necessary For Salvation" A questioner asked: "Is belief in Papal Infallibility and the Immaculate Conception a point of dogma and is it necessary for salvation?" To which the reply given is: "Yes. Papal Infallibility and the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady are divinely revealed dogmas and belief in them is necessary for salvation. . . . Anyone who deliberately and through his own fault denies any revealed truth is guilty of deadly sin whether this truth be the Trinity, or Transubstantiation or the Immaculate Conception or any other dogma whatever. When God speaks man is not allowed to choose between points of revelation. The distinction between socalled 'fundamental' and 'non-funda-mental' doctrines ... is an idle invention unsupported by tradition, Scripture or reason." '