The War and Unity: Being Lectures Delivered At The Local Lectures Summer Meeting Of The University Of Cambridge, 1918
Religion
The War and Unity: Being Lectures Delivered At The Local Lectures Summer Meeting Of The University Of Cambridge, 1918
Christian sociology; Christian union; Social change; World War, 1914-1918 -- Religious aspects
Naturally there are many who desire already to go much further and
faster. Intercommunion, our goal, is of course impossible at this stage
owing to seriously differing convictions on faith and order; and the
plain fact that it would cause more cleavage than it healed. But how
about interchange of pulpits? The Evangelicals at Cheltenham demanded
this as a regular practice. The rest of the Church feels strongly that
the time for this has not arrived yet; that haphazard invitations by
individual vicars to ministers of convictions widely different are
undesirable. The time has come for conference, but not yet for any
facile overpassing of the facts and reasons for historical separations.
Nor do we want to run the risks of indiscipline and disorderliness
resulting from such individual action. The Church of England can only be
of help to the cause of unity where she acts as a whole. Matters such as
interchange of pulpits should be tackled by our suggested Council of
Unity. A suggestion in the _Challenge_ of July 19 might well be
favourably considered by it. There are Nonconformists of acknowledged
eminence, learning, and inspiration, from whose books the Church of
England already has received much. We should all be glad to receive
likewise from their lips. If a selected number were officially invited
by the Church to prophesy in our midst, an immense and religiously
fruitful step would have been taken, in perfect order. The plan might
well be reciprocal.
The same leading article proposed that ministers of other denominations
should be asked by such congregations as wished, to come and explain to
them frankly their standpoints of doctrine and order. I am sure that all
communions might be, and now should be, more brave in explaining
themselves to each other. The gain in preventing misunderstanding and
destroying suspicion and unfriendliness would be great, and I can see no
loss anywhere about such a proceeding.
Have you read the story of the Woolwich Crusade, published by the
S.P.C.K. (1_s._ 3_d._)? The Crusade movement and method is a new thing.
Its idea is not that of a mission--to increase or improve the membership
of a particular denomination, but to bring God and the meaning of Christ
into the life and problems of to-day. It is doing the same sort of work
which chaplains in France do, among the munitioners, artisans, and
labour world at home. Perhaps our Nonconformist brethren could join us
here. The difficulties would, I think, merely be those of organisation.
Thanks to the College system, and to the Student Christian movement,
Churchmen and Nonconformists are as friendly in this University as they
are in France; and joint devotion is usual. We have a great
responsibility here amid the young and the enthusiastic, and good
feeling is both easier to achieve, and more widespread in result, at a
University than anywhere else. Well, we are awake to our chances, and
will do our best.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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