ARCHBISHOP’S PUBLIC REPUDIATION OF BISHOP’S TEACHING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 8, 19 December 1947, Page 3

ARCHBISHOP’S PUBLIC REPUDIATION OF BISHOP’S TEACHING

(Contributed by the Ministers’ Association)

Considerable notice has recently been attracted by the public repudiation by the Archbishop of Canterbury, of the teaching contained in the latest book by the Bishop of Birmingham, writes Rev. O. S. Tomkins from London to “Church And People.” The Archbishop was speaking in his capacity as President of the Convocation of Canterbury. His position was supported-in a speech by the Archbishop of York in a presidential address which he gave to the Convocation of- the Northern Province. The Bishop of Birmingham, Dr. Barnes, has always been the subject of matter for the more sensational Press in England, and this incident has not been neglected by those who were merely looking for headlines. Nevertheless

it raises questions -which all serious Churchmen are concerned about, and it is by no means merely a sensational example of Bishops differing among themselves. After mature consideration the Bishop of Canterbury spoke carefully and charitably. He was at pains to point out that he was only now saying in public what he had already privately said to Dr. Barnes. While recognising the sincerity of Dr. Barnes’s attempt to harmonise different appearances to the truth, and while acknowledging the central place which our Lord holds in the Bishop’s faith, the Archbishop said that the book presented a view of Christ and the' Christian faith which had been weighed by scholars in the past and was not accepted by the Church. What was offered in this book was not the faith of the New Testament and the Church, and was inconsistent with the Church’s creeds and forms of worship. The Archbishop expressed- the opinion that anyone who held such views should not still hold an episcopal office in the Church. He concluded: “I-trust that what I have said, with the full responsibility of my office, may minimise the harm that the publication of this book might do, and will give to members of the Church such reassurance as they may need.” Dr. Barnes made a restrained and dignified reply, when the House of Bishops later sat in an open ses- ; sion. He explained that .he had written the book out of a deep concern for the many agnostics—especially among the younger generation—whose scientific training has made them quite unable to accept the traditional interpretation of the Christian faith & especially to accept the miraculous element in the Bible.