It would appeat. that the Greek prelates at Bonn harlacceited
one instruction from the Holy Synod of which nothing lair hitherto been said in England, or rather which 'has been veiled under a very cautious reference to the authority of Old Councils. The Greeks were told to insist on five points,—the exclusion of "filioque" from the Creed, which, to our amazement, was granted both' bt Dr. DbIlinger and Canon Liddon, the most " Protes- tant " thing, perhaps, ever done ; on the concession of both
elements to the laity ; on the trine immersion in baptism ; on the acceptance of the first seven Councils ; and on the point that "sacred traditions be received by the Church as of equal authority with the written Word of God." Of course; the definition of either, and the authority to be allowed to either, remain indeterminate, but if that proposition was accepted, the fact ought to be plainly stated. Put in that bold way, it would be about as fatal to the " unity " of the Greek and English Churches as any conceivable heresy could be, and would, we strongly suspect, render all English clergymen who accepted it liable to the Ecclesiastical Courts. True or false, it is as directly condemned by the Twenty-first Article as the omission of the " filioque " is by the Fifth.
Previous page
