Human, Lucid and Unaffected

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 35, Issue 11, 1 February 1945, Page 14

Human, Lucid and Unaffected

Human, unaffected, clear-headed, and lucid m thought arid speech— these are the outstanding character-, istics of Geoffrey Francis Fisher, Bishop of London. His gifts sit. lightly on him, for he is entirely without affectation. A typical English Churchman,: with a rich inheritance from traditional resources and. classical culture, he is fully alive to religious, social and international problems of the day. From the time he was at Oxford he has been marked out for high office. At Chester he laid the foundation of. that reputation for efficiency and wisdom which has made such a mark since he has been Bishop of London. , As bishop of a 1600-year-old see,. Dr. Fisher, still m his episcopal primeat 57, has been faced with a numberof essentially modern problems. Wardamage, for instance, has occupied a great deal of his attention. The Government War Damage Commission needed a body through which it could conduct negotiations concerning the rebuilding of churches of all denominations damaged by theenemy. A "Churches Main Committee" was set. up whereon all the main churches of Britain were, represented. The Bishop of London was chosen as the natural chairman forthis body and through its work very satisfactory arrangements have been made for the rebuilding, with Government help, of Britain's damaged' churches. Within the Church of England, special steps have been taken to replan the parish boundaries of England where such changes have become necessary. An important measure was brought before the' Church Assembly m 1943. Its job was to "authorise the making of new arrangements for pastoral supervision areas, which suffered wardamage or m which material changes: m size, character or location of population occurred or are likely to occur, to amend m certain, respects the Diocesan Reorganisation Committees measure of 1941." The Bishop of London was chosen to introduce this measure to the Church Assembly and the statesmanlike lucidity with which this most intricate and most original measure was commended to the clergy and layfolk of the Church of England made a deep impression.. Quite recently, owing to the illness of Dr. Temple, the Bishop of London was called on to preside over the convocation of Canterbury. He is also chairman of the Executive Committee of the British Council of Churches. This has brought him into constant touch with the leaders of all Protestant denominations m Britain.

■and his work m connexion with the councils is deeply appreciated by members of all churches. He stands d!or co-operation all round. He has written sympathetically of the movement for church union m South India. He also is the leader m co•operation between Protestants and Roman Catholics. He has presided over a joint committee which links together the Protestant Religion and Life Movement and the Roman •Catholic Sword of the Spirit. In 'his own diocesan administration he has shown a looking forward democratic spirit. In the pulpit, Dr. Fisher speaks with measured, well-chosen words. His meanings are always abundantly 'clear and his words have a power of restained force and sincerity rather than fiery eloquence. But eloquent he can be when the occasion demands and universal praise greeted his moving tribute to Dr. Temple on the 'day of the late archbishop's death.