EEUNION OF CHURCHES.

Southland Times, Issue 19294, 12 July 1924, Page 8

EEUNION OF CHURCHES.

MALINES CONVERSATIONS. NICENE CREED INSUFFICIENT. ROMAN CATHOLIC DOGMA. “You have all read in the newspapers about unofficial and friendly conversations on the subject of reunion which have taken place at Malines, in Belgium, between four or five theologians of our own church and an equal number of Roman Catholic theologians,” said Bishop Sprott in the course of his Presidential address at the opening of the Wellington Anglican District Synod. “It is significant of the depth of the estrangement between the two communions,” he continued, “that whereas conferences of a much more official and authoritative character which have been, and are being, held., between ourselves and the churches of the East, and non-episcopal Churches of England and America, have been taken as a matter of course, and have evoked nothing but approval, these Malines conversations have occasioned surprise and even alarm. Yet such conversations, if there are found persons on either side willing to engage in them, are but the natural sequel to the ‘appeal to all Christian people,’ issued by the Lambeth Conference in 1920. “I confess, however, that I do not look for any practical result from the Malines conversations,” said Bishop Sprott. “I presume that the English theologians taking part therein followed the lines laid down by the Lambeth Conference, and that was well understood by the theologians of the other part. STATEMENT OF THE FAITH. “Now you will remember that the Lambeth appeal put forward the Nicene creed as the sufficient statement of the Christian faith for purposes or reunion, but if I rightly understand the position the Roman Catholic theologians could not for one moment regard the Nicene creed as a sufficient creedal basis for reunion. It would be simply suicidal for them so to regard it. As I understand the matter the papal system as distinct from the churches which accept it and are embraced within it rests upon two fundamental dogmas, viz., the universal dominion, of the papal see and papal infallibility. It is our non-acceptance of these two dogmas that is the ultimate ground of the rejection of our orders. It is, indeed, sometimes thought that this rejection is due to certain defects in our ordinal, especially since the revision of 1552, and from the Roman Catholic point of view our ordinal may be in some respects defective, and in controversy these defects may sometimes be pressed, but I do not think these defects, however, seriously they may be regarded, are the ultimate ground for invalidating our orders. I do not think it would make our orders one whit more valid if, in our ordinations, we used the Roman pontifical instead of the prayer-book ordinal. The fatal defects, the defect which renders not only our ordinations but all our episcopal acts null and void, is that our bishops have not received jurisdiction from the papal see and act without papal sanction. BARRIER OF PAPAL CLAIM. “But to return. Regarding papal supremacy and papal infallibility, the Nicene creed is silent. To accept that creed then, as a basis of unity, would be tantamount to leaving those two dogmas open questions, and that for the papal system would, it seems to me, be suicidal. I have no doub whatever that in the conversations at Malines the Roman Catholic Theologians would make this unmistakably plain. For this season I do not expect any appreciable advance toward reunion from the conversations. They may serve to clear the air for those who need the air to be cleared. They will doubtless strengthen the ties of personal friendship and mutual esteem between the distinguished scholars who took part in them, but that is all. There may be many in both communions who will regret that this should be all, but it is always well to face facts.”

CONCERT AT WILD BUSH. On Wednesday the quarterly social in connection with the Methodist Church was held in the Wild Bush School. There was a very large attendance and the schoolroom was packed. The Rev. Mr Hayes presided and the following musical items were given:—The Riverton Methodist choir sang three anthems, “Sweet Sabbath Eve,” “Going Afar” and “Jesus Lover of My Soul” (solo and chorus) ; solo, Miss Ashley; musical trio (encored), Misses Ashley (violin, L. Joyce (piano) and Mr Diack (flute) ; recitation, Miss Annie Hopwood; pianoforte solo, Miss Shearing; gramophone selections, Mr Brandford. At the conclusion of the musical programme Mr James Chalmers thanked the visitors for their splendid programme and called for a hearty vote of thanks to them, which was carried with acclamation. Supper was then handed round by the ladies of Wild Bush. Mr Brandford, on behalf of the visitors, thanked the ladies for the supper and also thanked the audience for their very hearty vote of thanks to the performers. A very pleasant evening was brought to a conclusion by the singing of the National Anthem and the pronouncing of the Benediction.