23 AUGUST 1975, Page 5

Transfiguration

Sir: Mr Nicholas Walter is of course quite right to remind us that in the Gospels a "threefold tradition" is often only a single tradition; but at least it is comparatively early tradition — for those of us who believe in an Aramaic source, probably very early.

The old-fashioned assumption that Mark recorded St Peter's memories may have been modified by later criticism, but it is not by any means entirely discredited; and no one was better fitted to describe the Transfiguration than Peter, even if he could provide only a vague impression lit up by some graphic detail — which is what we might expect from an honest attempt to recall a paranormal experience.

G. M. Lee, 13 Commercial Road, Bedford