Disappearing Clergy
SIR.—" A Country Rector " is quite correct when he says that the beliefs behind my letter are not orthodox Christianity ; indeed my argument was based on the premise that orthodox Christianity is dying and that a new way must be found ; for the ill pay of the clergy is only part of the general problem of the decline of the Church.
The Church is failing because the religion it teaches is not acceptable to our times. It is not acceptable because it asserts, as basic, belief in the existence of a clearly-defined God, and belief that Christ was divine, his chief significance being that by his death and resurrection he redeemed us. I do not say that these dogmas are false ; but I do say that to one who is not already a Christian they appear senseless, and that conse- quently there can be no conversion to a religion which puts them at the forefront of its faith: So it is up to the Church to find what interpretation of Christianity will appeal to people today. I believe that such an interpretation must place as first and basic the moral teaching of Christ, which can be taught without reference to theological dogmas, and was I think so taught by Christ. I believe, moreover, that this teaching, which is essentially an elaboration on the theme of love, has, standing by itself without anv question of divinity. immense dignity and power, and can be understood by men today. I agree that this is not the whole of Christianity ; but it is a start, and the
only start that can be made today. The concept of God follows logically after the concept of love: for, as St. John says in his first epistle, -he that loveth not knoweth not God: for God is love."
But if Christianity is to be based on its moral teaching and not on the supernatural, its preachers must themselves obey that moral teaching: for we are told to judge the tree by its fruits. Now one of the clearest commandments in the Gospel is: "Take no thought for the morrow "; and I do not see how the clergy can avoid observing it simply on the plea that the laity should observe it too. It does not, of course, mean that a man should have no money (there are opinions on that elsewhere in the Gospel); but it does mean he should not be anxious as to where it will come from. It is certainly not an easy doctrine—Christ's hearers themselves were apparently also of little faith—but the letter from " A Roman Subscriber " suggests that it is not altogether absurd.
In short, my position is just that of Mr. Stuart: that the clergy cannot improve their prospects by being more worldly, but only by being more
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