1938-02-21 — Page 3

THE HONGKONG

TELEGRAPH. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21,

1938.

RISKS

THE BIBLE IS NOT INFALLIBLE,

SAYS CHURCH COMMISSION

Evidence of

Birth

Virgin

"Inconclusive

The Report of the Church of England Commission on Church Doctrine, is given in full below.

Those Sign The Report

The Archbishop of York (chalr- man.),

Professora J. M. Greed, C. C. J.) Webb and A. E. Taylor.

Bishops of Derby, Chelmsford, Gissgow and Galloway.”

Dr. W. R. Mathews, Dean of St. Paul's Dr. E. G. Selwyn. Dean of Winchester,

Cannons F. I Barry, W. L. Grensted, W. L. Knox, J. K. Diox- Toy, Oliver Quick, V. F. Blore,

Bir Walter Moberley, the Bava. C. F. Russell, C. J. Shebbearo and L. S. Thornton, Mr. Will Spens, Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

to error.

"It has been our desire," says the Archbishop of York, chairman of the Commission, in his introduction, "to set forth the truth of the everlasting Gospel unchanged in substance," believing that "its permanence amidst the welter of modern theories may be one of its chief means of drawing to itself the attention of a bewildered generato isolated texts, in za far as it :tion."

In pursuit of this desire, the members of the Commision have been "brutally frank at times." But their minds have moved "freely, at times even playfully, in the intercourse of friends."

In as much as it contains no sum-1 The Creation. The world is God's mary of conclusions (writes Hugh creation, by there in abundant room All the essence of a document which, evolution. It is generally agreed as the chairman says, is not written among educated Christians" that chiefly for the general public, and the two Creation narratives in Genesis which, at times, is couched in langu- I, and II. are mythological in origin, ape bewildering to the lay mind. and that their value is symbolical

The Archbishop of York alone is ratiter than historical. committed in print to personal state-

state, whether or not the word Purga-} tory is used to describa Jt, where there will be progressive growth after death and, it may be, needed purification of the soul.

No Soul Finally Lost Whatler any soul will be finally lost it in not

PAPACY:

GROUND

possible for man to declare, It Would FOR

not

casy to and in the New Testa- ment basis for definitely and rigorously excluding all hope of fur- ther opportunity after death.

REUNION

There must be room in the closure. Penance is customary, but Church for those who belleve flimust be of such a character that it) some wiil actually be lost, and also does not compel the penitent to make for those who hold that the love his offence public. of God will at last win penitence and answering love from every soul it has created.

Communion with the Departed,- |- In the redeemed society, Hving and] departed share real fellowship in Christ. The only way to come closer to those who are departed in His faith is to draw near to God,

Prayers to the Saints-Dircet ad- dress to departed saints must not bei condemned as a private practice, pro- vided it be to ask for their prayers: in mate. The vital point to be secured, anything more is perilous and Illegit- at all costs, is that God alone is the object of our worship.

PRAYERS FOR DEPARTED. Prayers for the Departed.-There

The view is expressed by the Commissioners thaï thera li urgent need for 'closer "co-operation be- tween Christian psycho-therapy and the pastoral ministry of the Church. A paycho-therapy which fanores God, however, may some- times lead to an apparent solution of internal conflict which, from a religious standpoint, may be ♫ 'disaster.

The Report urges the appointment

moral-

of a Commission to consider marriage theological and disciplinary acts

MARRIAGE AND GRACE

Redwood) it is no easy matter to dis- for a variety of theories regarding its connection made in the New Testais no theological objection In princi- Commissioners, "that, in the case of

Sin and the Fail-Man, throughout

DIVIDED ON MIRACLES

The Ascension. - Whatever

the

nature of the event underlying the

the

"We desire to affirm" says the

To many people certain of the fore-spite of all difficulties, however going statements will appear to raise

grave." questions concerning the Creeds Note on the Papacy declares the commonly used in Church worship: right in the stand which it took in Church of England to have been pated this difficulty, and they seek the sixteenth century and to be sull to remove it in a note dealing with bound to resist the claims of the "the Conception of Symbolie Truth" contemporary Papacy.

The Commissioners · have antici-

bo

Indigestion

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to which the teaching was given are not always set forth.

Direct appeal ignores such considerations, is table

The Resurrectlan-The Resurrec tion was an event as real and concrete as the Crucifixion, but is a mystery and an act of God wholly unique in human history. Some Commissioners, however, incline to the belief that the ment between the emptiness of the

Angels and Demons-Bellet in the two Christian persons freely under- Tomb and the appearances of the ple to Prayers for the Departed. risen Lord belong to the sphere of

than human is in no way Irrational,

long marriage union, grace is afford- religious symbolism rather than to existence of spiritual beings other taking before God to enter on a life- that of historical fact.

but it is legitimate for a Christian ed which, if reliance is fully placed either to suspend judgment or to in- upon it, will enable the persons con- cerned to fulfil the obligations in- ments. He tells us in his chairman's) history, has been under the influence New Testament narratives of the terpret the language of Scripture 'or volved and to rise to the opportuni-| accepts as historical facts our Lord's bound up with the historical truth of be interpreted symbolically, since they sense.

are closely related to the conception birth from a virgin mother and the any story of a Fall. Sin is that which of Heaven as a place locally fixed resurrection of His physical body is contrary to God's nature and beyond the sky. from death and the tomb.

pairs communion between God and

The Last Judgment. The Commis- distinctions be- And he adds: "I anticipate, though man. Traditional with less assurance, that these events tween marial and venial sin cannot sion is "unlted in belleving that it is pronounco" whether be upheld. It is not possible to de-impossible to will appear to be intrinsically bound' up with His deity when relations fine any point at which ain becomes there will be a Last Judgment, con-

It is laid down that statements between spiritual and physical ele- so serious as to cut off a soul from the ceived as an event supervening on the conclusion of this world's history. The eschatology of the New Testa aming particular facta may ments in our nature are more com- grace of God. pletely understood."

ment (i.c., its treatment of last things) found to have value as pletorial ex-

truths, is best understood "not as a quasi-pressions of spirituni literal description of a future event, though the supposed facts themselves

On the question of Church Order permanent relation of the perpetu- therefore of necessity legitimate to but as a parable of the continuous did not actually happen. It is not ally imminent eternal order to the accept and affirm particular clauses it is held that precedents, as ruch, process of events in time." But in the of the Creeds while understanding are no longer regarded as decisive world to come God's judgment on our them in this symbolie sense. carthly lives will be made manifest to

Assent to formularies, and the use While accepting the doctrine of ourselves and our neighbours.

of liturgical language in public wor- the Incarnation, some of the Com-

Death and After. We have missioners bellove that the birth coherent idea of what happens after ing general acceptance without im-

ship, should be understood as signify was normal, and some regard the death, but the main tradition is that plying detailed assent to every phrase recurus as parables rather than as of a period of disembodied existence or proposition thus employed, treating of actual events.

before the final consummation. The

But the Gospel cannot stand un- in certain circumstances, involve re- EURASIA AVIATION CORPORATION Miracles-God

could work miracles traditonal scheme of an immediate impaired, and no adequate account of belllon against the existing minis

H.K. OFFICE: KING'S BLDG., 4th Flr. Tol. 25552, If He pleased, but the Commission is particular judgment followed by a Its origin can be given, unless they, and even the establishment of a

to new ministry. It may be that the course of divided as to whether or not miracu- general judgment at a general re-broad tradition concerning Jesus,"

the present rection, with admission to Heaven or which the Gospels and the Church history is about to afford a furld lous events occur. In

as the issue, have borne witness through the cen lustration of the place of Eschato- stale of knowledge, it is impossible to consignment to Hell logy in a complete religious faith." make the same evidential use of the cannot be accepted 'as a chronological turies, is accepted as historical, and narratives of miracles in the Gospels account of future events, but only as in particular unless it is possible for the Church to proclaim that, in the which appeared possible in the past. a symbolic outline:

Besurrection of the BodyThe historical figure of Jesus of Nazareth, THE EFFECTS OF

liternistic belief in a future resusci- "the Word was made flesh and dwelt tation of the actual physical frame amo

among us." which is laid in the tomb must be TRANSLATION

rejected quite frankly.

Of the remaining sections of the But the soul or the spirit will still have its appro-Report, the most important treat of validity, and the right or otherwise priute organ of expression and the Sacraments, their nature, their of certain persons to administer them.

mention:

THE DOCTRINE OF LAST THINGS

In another passage, dealing with Eschatology (the doctrine of Last Things), he alludes to "great contu- sion, in the public mind" caused by tendency to interpret the "symbolic images of the New Testament, and particularly of Revelation, as "state- ments of future facts." Remarking that some people tend to reject the Gospel as a whole because they cannot belleve in a Second Advent as con ventionally portrayed, the Archbishop says:

The process of human generation is not in itself sinful, and that the sexual nature la necessarily or inherently

absolutely denied. sinful must

The Virgin Birth-Historical evi- dence for the virgin birth of Jesus Christ is inconclusive.

even

Among the report's findings are: The Bibles the inspired record of God's self-revelation to man, the Bible is "The Word of God." But not all its parts are on the same spiritual level, and the tradition of its incrran- cannot be mintalaed in the light

The Teaching of of the knowledge at our disposal. Its

Christ. The authority must not be taken as pre-record cannot always be accepted as

reproducing our Lord's own words, activity. Judging the conclusions of historical. critical and scientific investigation In They have, in any case, been trans-

lated, and the occasions with regard exclude the idea of an intermediate The following points call for special any field.

Purgatory.The Church does not

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It adds, however, that "some of us look forward to a rezalon of Christendom having is centre in a Primacy, such as might be found in Papacy which had renounced certain of sta present claims."

D

There is now no Order for all time accepted by all who claim the name of Christion, and there has come o fully acknowledged. change in outlook which must be It is possible to pay too high a price for Order, and fundamental loyalty to the Lord may,

Archbishop Forgiven

Pope Sends Blessing

Faris. Monseigneur de la Villerabel, who,j in May 1930, had the archbishopric of Rouen taken, away from him by the Pope, died in Nice forgiven by the Pope.

Grace, God Himself is active cach Sacrament. Their psychological value is derived from the fact that they are not psychological processes. He was seventy-four. Knowing| Grace is bestowed by means of ex- that, he was about to die, he sent a ternal signs, though as to the manner message of loyalty and affection to of its bestowel the Commission is Ute Pope. A few days ago came the divided.

reply. It was a telegram of forgive- Baptian-Baptism, even infant ness and blessing. Baptism, is a means of deliverance from the

domination of influences Mgr. de la Villerabel was deposed which predispose to sin. It is a vital for a breach of Canon Law. He de- ordinance of the New Testament, and ferred or caused to be deferred to a alleged mis- In the life of the unbaptised saint secular court a case thero. is n defect. Nevertheless, appropriation of funds by an eccle- "many who seem to be within are siastic. The Pope first called on him without, and many who seem to be to reign, and when he failed to do so, without are within."

deposed him.

Later he was made Ulular Arch- bishop of Myllene.

REAL PRESENCE AT COMMUNION

Ifoly

Communion-No Christian doubis that, in some sense, Christ is prcient in the Holy Communion. Thought and research concerning the relations of spirit and malter have caused a shifting of many land- marks in old controversies.

Few philosophers continue to think of the substance of any physical object as o fixed core of being which remains the same behind, all changes affect- ing its "accidents or sensible uppear RACES"

Some Anglican theologians aro - putting forward · tentativo "restate- "nints of the doctrine of the Heal "Présence,” Bid would not reject the -term "·"Transubstantiation` in every "sense' :It" could · "reasonably bear. "They would argue that there is a real change of substance in tho bread and wine through conseura. tion:

Reservation-The use of the re served sacrament is valid, and

the extent and circumstances of its cm- ployment" may properly, bo deter- mined by any particular, church, but the Commission is not agreed whether there is a theological justification for the practice of “devollens" .(the adoration of the consecreted elements in the reserved sacrament).

The Commission express special satisfaction that they are able to pre- sout an agreed statement on. Contos- |sion and" "Absoluilon.

They nole a widespread and in- creasing desire on the part of in- dividuals to confess to man, as well a to God, and to avall.tiemselves of this direct and privala ministry of the Church, which, while to all,

open is obligatory on none,M

Confession is heard unfor, the seal of recrecy but in inertain; casos Ane priest, miny have to Fatuse alaolution

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