WORLD CONFERENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 52, 29 January 1938, Page 7

WORLD CONFERENCE

ON FAITH AND ORDER. (Contributed.) Ten years have passed since Lausanne, but so earnest is the cry for unity amongst Christians that 414 delegates -met at Edinburgh recently, representing 120 Christian churches from 43 different countries. An interim report is to hand issued for the conference by the secretariat of the continuation committee and its 52 pages ore packed with matters of great interest to the convening churches. During the last decade many churches have been re-united and in several parts of the world there is now the Church of Christ in these parts making a common appeal to European and heathen alike. We can only give extracts from this report and hope that with the convention those differences may in time under the Holy Spirit’s guidance through His Word lead all those who are in in heart and spirit with the Great Head of the Church to a lasting unity. Speaking of the grace of qur Lord Jesus Christ there is no ground for maintaining division on these grounds, for when we speak of God’s grace we think of God Himself as revealed in His Son Jesus Christ. On justification and salvation we read justification is the act of God whereby He forgives our sins and brings us into fellowship with Himself, who in Jesus Christ and by His death upon the Cross has condemned sin and m.nnifested His Lord to sinners reconciling the world to Himself. Principal Robinson, of Birmingham, speaking recently said the passing of this resolution was almost a miracle. The Church of Christ and the Word of God resolution, whilst stating very definitely that the Word of God is unique and supreme, find that there are differences of opinion, some holding that we may come- to know God through other and partial revelations, others holding that the only revelation that the Church can witness to is the revelation in Jesus Christ as contained in the Old and New Testaments. . In the question of the authority of tradition there ip matter for fuller discussion in the problem of the tradition of the Church and its relation to Holy Scripture. By tradition is meant the living stream of the Church’s life. Thus the Orthodox East, but not- it alone, allows that there may be widespread opinions, which, as being contrary to Scripture, cannot be considered to have the true authority of tradition, but it does not exclude from tradition some beliefs which do not rest explicitly on Scripture though they are not in contradiction with it. Others believe that having recognised the Bible as the indispensable record the Church is bound to acknowledge no tradition not founded upon the Bible. Agreements and disagreements in the meaning and fulness of the term church. Different churches differ in their use of the term- Some apply the term to the visible redeemed, but not only to these but also to the invisible company of the redeemed, i.e., those who have fallen asleep in Christ Jesus. Others regard the use of the term church in this sense as misleading and unscriptural. Different churches hold different views as to the basis of church membership. Some hold that all who have been baptised and have not by deed or word repudiated their heritage belong to the church and are to be regarded as members. Others would confine membership to those who have made an open profession of faith in Christ and in _ whose lives some measure of the spirit of Christ may be discerned. The Kingdom . of God and the Church report meets with quite a considerable amount of discussion, some holding that the purpose of the Church is the setting up of a spiritual and civil state; others that the spiritual state is the "work of the Church. The concluding paragraph seems to be the judgment of the convention that the Church must proclaim the righteousness of God as revealed in Jesus Christ, and thus encourage and guide her members to promote justice. peace, and goodwill. The Church is thus called ito do battle against the powers of evil and to seek the glory of God in all things, looking to the day when His Kingdom shall come in'the fulness of its power. MINISTRY AND SACRAMENTS. The authority for the sacraments rests upon the supreme authority of Christ Himself and all sacraments ought to be controlled and tested by Scripture. Sacraments are not bare svmbols, but pledges and seals of., grace. “Faith is a necessary condition for the effectual reception of grace.’’ The Baptists and Churches of Christ delegates wished to add “Faith on the part of the recipient.” It is the Lord who through the Holy Spirit accomplishes every sacrament and the action of the minister is only instrumental. On the question of the number of the sacraments, many of the older churches hold that there are seven sacraments. Protestant Churches accept only two, baptism and the Lord’s Supper.. Two at least observe no sacraments in the usual sense of that term. “This divergence with other churches admittedly presents serious difficulties, but we trust that the Holy. Spirit will show us His Will.” Sometimes the phrase, the validity of the sacrament, is used to mean “efficacious” and at other times that the sacrament has been correctly performed. “Many of us,” says the report, “are of the opinion and desire to record our belief that no judgment should be pronounced bv any church denying the validity of the sacraments performed by any Christian church. However, the orthodox and delegates confine themselves to the following statement: Valid sacraments are only those which ere administered by a canonically ordained and instituted minister and rightly performed according to the sacramental order of the church. BAPTISM. “Baptism is administered in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and is a sign and seal of discipleohip in obedience to our Lord’s command. It is generally agreed that in a united Church all members will be admitted by baptism. Dealing with what is called the mode ot baptism, i.e., immersion, the Baptist, Churches of Christ, and Disciples ■ (U.S.A.) held that baptism applies to those who are believers and those who are capable of making a personal confession of their faith. They claim that in practising immersion they are maintaining the New Testament and Apostolic practice. They believe that children belong to God and that no rite is needed to assure His grace for them. Discussion ' in the Lord s Supper owing to the many questions that arise, namely, receiving the unbaptised or unconfirmed, had to lie relegated to the next world conference, though those matters will be fully discussed in the rectional conventions that are being set up all over the world bv the Councils of Christian Churches.” The whole question, too, of the ministry will need to be classified before any question of real unity can be brought about. That the ministry was instituted by Jesus Christ and that this ministry does not exclude | but includes the Royal Pr'esthood jto which all Christians are called was I readily admitted by this “vast Con-

vention.” . Ordination to the ministry aocording to the New Testament is by prayer and the laying on of hands. Fundamental differences, however, arise in connection with the doctrine of apostolic succession. Episcopalians claim that it has been handed down; certain churches of the East would wish to be associated with the above. Presbyterians and others hold that the true apostolic succession is a succession or bishops or elders and claim the office is identical. Other communions hold that succession means the maintaining of the apostolic witness, the right administration of the sacraments and the perpetuation of the Christian life in the community. INTER-COMMUNION. That there shbuld be a fuller measure of inter-communion that sacramental inter-communion is regarded as a necessary part of such church unity. In the fullest sense it means a relation between two or more churches in which the communion is open to all members at all times, though whilst likeness in faith or confession is not necessary for co-opera-tive action we find that essential unity in faith or confession is a necessary basis for full inter-communion and corporate union. Likeness iri non-sacra-mental worship is not necessary for co-operative action. There are many obstacles to this union, but with an earnest desire on the part of those that love God and His people, the spreading of knowledge, the cultivation of the spirit of unity the day will assuredly come when Christ’s prayer will be answered and those who are

one in Him will also be one with each other.

The report of the committee of 35 appointed at the Lausanne Conference to draw up ar- constitution for a World Council of Churches, was approved by the full conference with one dissentient vote.

A magnificent resolution was carried unanimously at the conclusion of the Conference as follows “We are one in faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God. We are one in allegiance to Him as Head of the Church, and as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We are one in acknowledging that this allegiance takes precedence of any other allegiance that make claims upon us. This unity does not consist in the agreement of our minds or the consent of our wills. It is founded in Jesus Christ Himself, Who lived, died, and rose again to brine us to the Father, and Who through the Holy Spirit dwells in His Church. We are one because we are ail the objects of the love and grace of God. and called by Him to witness in all the world to His Glorious Gospel. Our unity is of heart and spirit. We are divided in the outward forms of our life in Christ, because we understand differently His will for His Church. We believe, however, that a deeper understanding will lead us towards a united apprehension of the truth ns it is in Jesus- We humbly acknowledge that our divisions are contrary to the will of Christ, and we pray God in His mercy to shorten the days of

our separation and to guide us by the Spirit in fulness of unity. W« are thankful that during recent yeafs we have been drawn together; prejudices have been overcome, misunderstandings removed, and real, if limited, progress has been made towards cur goal of a common mind.”