26 SEPTEMBER 1952, Page 18

Marriage, Society and the Church

Sta,—In a letter in your issue of September 19th, Mr. Shirley asks if an innocent party who has obtained a cllvorce " is to be regarded as an outcast sinner for the rest of his life ? Are the children to be regarded as partaking of his sin ? "

I suggest that the answers to these questions are contained in paragraph 96 of the Resolutions of the Lambeth Conference of 1948 which states that " Confirmed members of the Church who marry contrary to the laws of the Church. . . . Their admission to Holy Communion lies within the discretion of the Bishop due regard being had to their own

spiritual good and the avoidance of scandal to others. . We restate Resolution 1 lb of the Lambeth Conference 1930 as follows: That in every case where a person with a former partner still living is remarried and desires to be admitted to Holy Communion the case should be referred to the Bishop subject to provincial or regional regulations."

The matter is dealt with in greater detail in the report of the Com-

mittee concerned.—Yours faithfully, C. W. STEWARD. Chilworth Hill, Guildford, Surrey.