Has The Church Let The Workers Down?

Chronicle (Levin), 5 October 1948, Page 3

Has The Church Let The Workers Down?

CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 4. ;A statement in tlie report of the Dioeesait Public and Soeial AR'airs Coinmittee / ' that in the long struggle of the workei's for eeonomic justice, the church made no move as a church to assist the workers- , in what was undoubtedly a righteous cause," was eritieised by several speakers at _ the 30th Synod of the Christchurch dioeese which opened today, ."Most of the revolts against the capitalist system were begun of by our church," said Archdeacon E. A. Osmers. Trades unionism was a developnient of the craft guilds and the church had, . played a great .part in that development, he added... The Rev. P. O. C. Edwards said he was aware of the worlc of the church but church workers had alvvays been in'the minority. It was only being sentimental to water down that fact. Other speakers supported a suggestion that the report be amended but the Synod adjourned before a vote was taken. The report stated that the church, as custodian of the moral order, ought to have spoken in the workers' struggle for economic justice but it Was silent. That it did not speak was the principal reason for the cleavage between church and workers. ' ' Apart from individual Christians wjio battled nobly for urgent reforms, the church generally appeared to be in favour of the status t[Uo, " continued the report, "so the workers had to fight their own battles and they won them without the help of 'tlie church, Is it. any wonder that practical socialism has come to mean more to them than church doctrine? Many working people are deeply interested in and attached to . the church but compared with tliose wlio are not, they are few. A number of trades unions oliicials iu Christchurch have church aliiliatious though we are informed not oue of them is Church of England. Generally speaking the worker ip indifferent to t.lie church. . Responsible trades uniou oliicials in New Zealand adiuit that this is to the detriment of organised labour but the practical affairs of trade unionisin are of niore concern to the workers than is church doctrine. Among the more thoughtful workers the ideals of socialism are more important than even.such essential church doctrines as the incarnation, the atonement and the rcsurreetion. Unless the Christian faitli is to be divorced from its ethics, the church must be zealous and courageous in tlie aii'airs of humanity but in order to prevcnt the church from being .preoecupied with its ethics it is essential to devise wavs and means to present the workers with the chalIenge of the wliole faitli 'mau does not JiVc by broad aloue but- by every word of'Gpfd'. 11 11