CHURCH UNION

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 31, 6 February 1932, Page 11

CHURCH UNION

EASTERN ORTHODOX AND ANGLICAN

COMMISSION'S REPORT

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 31st December. The report of the conference between representatives of the Anglican and Eastern Orthodox Churches forming the Joint Doctrinal Commission appointed by the (Ecumenical Patriarch and the Archbishop of Canterbury at the request of the last Lambeth Conference has been published. The commission report agreement in respect of Scripture and Tradition: "Everything necessary for salvation can be founded upon Holy Scripture as completed, explained, interpreted, and understood in tho Holy Tradition by the guidance of the Holy Spirit residing an the Church. "We agree that by Holy Tradition we mean the truths which came down from Our Lord and the Apostles through the Fathers, which are confessed unanimously and continuously in the Undivided Church and are taught by the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. "We agree that nothing contained in tradition is contrary to the Scriptures. Though these two may be logically defined and distinguished, yet they cannot be separated from each other or from the Church. The commission agreed in accepting as the Creed of the Catholic Church that which was sometimes called the Nicone, sometimes the Nicaeno-Constan-tinopolitan, which was put forth by tho Council of Chalcedon and had been accepted by the whole Catholic Church. They recognised that it was unlawful for a church to put forward any other Creed as the teaching of the- Catholic Church. MUCH UNDERLYING- AGREEMENT. Yet it was not unlawful for the several churches to uso as their Baptismal Creed some other creed agreeable to the tradition of the Cllureh; as in the Western Church that which was called the Apostles' Creed. Nor was it unlawful for a church to use any other such document in the services of the Church or for the instruction of the faithful, provided that it was agreeable to Scripture and tradition. The commission agreed that with regard to tho manner of celebration of the Sacraments a variety of custom and rite was acceptable, provided that the things essential to the Sacrament were preserved. The commission discussed several fundamental questions which concern the Christian faith, and hope to arrange a further meeting for discussion. "We believe-," they add, "that in spite of differences there is much underling agreement between our two Churches. We agree that the basis of inter-communion- should be a union of faith, but we do not think that it is our function to determine what measure of divergence may be considered legitimate. "Wo think that is a matter which must be determined by tho bodies to which we would" report—the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church and the Convocations and Synods or Conventions of the Anglican Communion." MAINTENANCE OF INDEPENDENCE. The representatives of the Anglican Communion laid before the commission the report of the conference between representatives of the Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Churches and the resolutions agreed upon. The representatives of the Eastern Orthodox Chuch- agreed to lay the report and these resolutions for the consideration of the Synod of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The resolutions are as follows:— '' (1) Each communion recognises the catholicity and independence of the other, and maintains its own. "(2) Each communion agrees to admit members of the other communion to participate in the Sacraments. " (3) Intercommunion does not require from either communion the acceptance of all doctrinal opinion, sacramental devotion, or liturgical practice characteristic of tho other; but implies that each believes the other to hold all the essentials of the Christian faith." The report is signed by the Bishop of Gloucester (chairman) as the Anglican representative, and the Metropolitan of Thyateira (Constantinople and Jenir salem) on behalf of the Orthodox representatives. ■

Commonwealth, the structure of the treaties will be preserved. That does not prevent foreign countries raising their tariffs in reply. But they have then to raise them against all-comers.

Finally, such a commission should be able accurately to assess the value of British bargaining power. The record of the United States Commission does not suggest effective use of this weapon, for many of its reciprocity agreements remained unratified. On the other hand, France, Germany, Canada, and other countries1 have had intricate systems of bargaining tariffs.

The tariff cannot be taken out of politics, for the Government and Parliament must decide in large principles. But these decisions would be infinitely stronger if they had the advantage of the systematic work of a small, busi-ness-like, and thoroughly competent commission. For a remarkable part of British trade proceeds on a narrow and delicate margin, to which, in the national interest, the now inevitable tariff should-be applied with the largest measure of public confidence and goodwill.