WHAT PREACHERS SAY

Taranaki Daily News, 2 June 1934, Page 14 (Supplement)

WHAT PREACHERS SAY

VIEWS ON LIFE AND RELIGION. A CHANGE IN OUTLOOK. “Bible and Church, as the final authority for belief, have been replaced by the mental, moral, and rational consciousness,” said Dr. H. D. A. Major at the Modern Churchmen’s Conference. ’ “The attitude of the English people towards authority has changed. Two generations ago, as soon as you knew what was required of you by the Bible or Church, there was nothing to do but tp obey it. We recognise that is all changed. “You and I may know quite well what the Church teaches on certain points, but we do not feel the obligation of necessity 1 to accept the Church’s teaching on those points. You and I may know perfectly clearly what the Bible says oh certain points, but again we do not of necessity feel that we must accept that as final or authoritative. “We shall accept Church and Bible teaching if the appeal to our mental, moral, and spiritual consciousness is true. That is the difference between the Old traditional Churchman and the modern' churchman. The final court of appeal, even when we have the authority of the Church or the Scripture, or both together, against us, is our mental, moral, and spiritual consciousness. “The final authority for us -is truth as it appeals to our consciousness.