“AT LOW EBB”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27358, 6 April 1950, Page 8

“AT LOW EBB”

Life In Churches SITUATION IN BRITAIN Life in the churches was still at a low ebb, and in England especially the situation was described by a wellknown professor of theology as a “ missionary situation,” said Professor John Henderson in an interview last night on conditions in Britain and Scotland. Professor Henderson, who is professor of theology at Knox College and dean of the faculty of theology at the University of Otago, returned to Dunedin with his wife after six months overseas on furlough. Despite the present conditions, however, Professor Henderson said that he found the ministers in ‘‘good heart.” In Scotland, especially, ministers were reporting increased attendances and a greater sense of responsibility among congregations. The majority of those with whom he had discussions felt that they had come to the “ turn of the tide” and that things were beginning to improve. That there had been a disregard for religion he thought was largely due to the two wars and the major economic crisis between them. Theologically there was considerable activity, and the new universities (those outside Oxford and Cambridge) were pressing for the building up of faculties of theology. Professor Heriderson said. The position overall was that there was a shortage of students for the ministry, and the heavy demands being made by the Education Act of 1944 for specialist teachers of religious instruction were not yet being met.

Explaining the Education Act, Professor Henderson said that it had established the teaching of religion in primary and secondary schools on the same level as other subjects. Instead of being taken in the first period of the day, it could now be given at any time during school hours. In consequence of this, there was a great demand for specialist teachers, and all the teacher training colleges were endeavouring to provide suitable courses of instruction. The main difficulty at the present was the lack of adequatelytrained teachers for these courses. Professor Henderson added. It was expected, however, that in the course of the next few years this deficiency would be made good.