THE ALTERNATIVES BEFORE SOCIETY
Slit,—I fear my malice was prepense. Mr. Nettlefold cannot really think me so innocent as to be unaware of the Great Johannine Controversy, from the Alogian heresy to the Form Critics, and the recent movement among scholars to restore St. John's Gospel to him—rather in the manner of the Dodo presenting Alice with her own thimble. And to say that I " unwittingly stumbled " upon the central problem of Christology is like saying that I absent-mindedly caught my heel in the dome of St. Paul's.
Mr.iNettlefold has lost sight of the point at issue. Mr. Savage wants to treat Christ's " impressive sayings " with " intellectual respect," while abolishing all reference to Christian theology. He does not specify which " sayings," though some demonstrably invite theological comment. Are we to rely upon the whole of the recorded sayings, including Mohammedan tradition and the Uncanonical Scriptures? Or the- Four Canonical Gospels, with or without reservations concerning, say, Joh. vii, 53-viii II and Joh. xxi? Or the Synoptists only? Or Mark and Luke without the " late " parts of Matthew? Or Mark alone, as being the most " primitive "? Or merely the " Petrine " portions of Mark? Or perhaps only the fascinating Q, whom eye hath not seen nor ear heard, and in whom, therefore, we may the more readily and blessedly believe?
The only thing we know for certain about the " sayings " is their impact upon history, which issued in a church and a theology. These are with us to this day, and have brought the " sayings " with them. I still suggest that a little respect for, anti acquaintance with, both Church and theology, is desirable in assessing the value of the " sayings."—Yours 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex.
[We cannot continue this correspondence.—ED. The Spectator.] •
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