Morals Must Direct

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1052, 16 August 1930, Page 9

Morals Must Direct

BIRTH CONTROL PROBLEM Guidance of Bishops % FAR-REACHING LAMBETH DECISIONS United P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, Friday. THE newspapers are giving considerable prominence to the Encyclical Letter issued by the 300 bishops who attended tiie Lambeth Conference. Particular emphasis is laid on the important resolutions, oil birth control and for education in questions of sex.

The full text of the resolution on birth control is as follow: “Where there is a clearly felt moral obligation to limit or avoid parenthood the method must be decided on Christian principles. The primary and obvious method is complete abstinence from intercourse as far as may he necessary. A life of discipline and self-control is to be lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. “Nevertheless, in those cases where there is such a clearly felt moral obligation to limit and avoid parenthood, and where there is a morally sound reason for avoiding complete abstinence, the conference agrees that other methods may be used, provided this is done in the light of the same Christian principles. FOR MORAL REASONS "The conference records its strong condemnation of the use of any methods of contraception from motives of selfishness, luxury or mere convenience, but if there is a good moral reason why the way of abstinence should not be followed, we cannot condemn the use of scientific methods to prevent conception which are thoughtfully and conscientiously adopted.’’ The conference emphasises, in another resolution, the need for education n all questions of marriage and sex. It says it is important that, before a child's emotional reaction to sex is awakened, definite information should be given in an atmosphere of simplicity and beauty. The persons directly responsible for this are the parents. The conference says it is convinced that steps ought to be taken to secure better education of the clergy in moral theology and to establish, where they do not exist, branches in the Anglican communion with central councils for the study of the problems of sex from the Christian viewpoint and to advise the responsible authorities in a diocese or parish as to methods of approach and lines of instruction. BISHOPS COMMENDED The newspapers in their editorial articles generally commend the conclusions of the conference, though the writers obviously are embarrassed by the variety of the topics covered. The “Daily Telegraph,” in dealing with the birth control question, says the bishops have, with careful safeguards, recognised openly what has been tolerated secretly. They will earn by their wise guidance the gratitude of many troubled souls.

The “News-Chronicle” says an “uuholy row” is prophesied by many bishops in consequence of the approval by the conference of birth control Ecclesiastics expected that contraceptiv-s would be banned, but in a remarkable manner the episcopal mind has presented a new orientation of the subject. A strong party within the Church two years ago set itself to strengthen the resolutions of the 1920 Lambeth Conference in accordance with the re cognised Catholic tradition, says the paper. Wire-pulling secured the up pointment of a committee favourable to the resolutions. That committee is alleged to have included too many bachelor bishops. MARRIED BISHOPS DECIDE This year there was a preponderance of married bishops on the com mittee, the report of which was strenuously debated by the conference, particularly when a minority recognised that the purely Catholic view would not be acceptable to the majority. A tense moment followed the disclosure that the bishops, by 193 votes to 67, had sanctioned birth control. The “Daily Telegraph” says the section of the Encyclical Letter dealing with the doctrine of God is a reassur ing refutation of the charge of obscurantism which often is brought agains: the Church. In regard to Christian unity, the paper remarks that, guarded though the bishops’ language is on that ques tion, it is clear that the dav is not far distant when the Greek Orthodox Church of the East will again be in communion with that part of the Church of the West represented by the Anglican communion FUTURE CHURCH STATUS There is an equally good hope that the old Catholic Churches of Europe also will be brought again inlo communion with the larger bodies. This probably will mean that tlie recent conference will be r he last of its sort, says the paper. It may be replaced in future by something approximating an Ecumenical Conference. The “Morning Post” expresses the opinion that the Encyclical Letter constitutes the most important pronouncement on behalf of the Anglican communion for hundreds of years “The Times” says the desire to promote a reunion between the Anglican Church and external bodies ap pears to have overshadow’d the no less urgent need for fostering unity within the Church itseif-