The Birth of Christ SIR. — One must agree with Bishop Gresford
Jones that the interest shown in the Christian Church by the Spectator is commendable, but one would have greater CAM for gratification if its comments did not give such consistent evidence of the editor's disappointment that his own particular brand of liberalism is not the official belief of the Church of England. He must know that the Anglican Church adheres to the Creeds and requires acceptance of them as a test of full membership, and that, even in so tolerant ,a boily;4-.Bishop Barnes can be publicly reproved. Ho must know, too, that Protestantism has provided plenty, of accommoda- tion elsewhere for those who lack the humility to respect authority and age-long wisdom. Why pick on th6"thatch of England. sustained as it is by its Catholic tradition ? It 'i$ bad enough that the Church's tolerance should be .occailonally abused by a few of its functionaries ; but it is insupportable that Church pedp!c should be told that this dirty linen is the official 'robe of the Church.—Yours very truly,
Hugh Stewart Hall, The University. Noningham. CHARLES BAYES.
[Mr. Wilson Harris writes: I am not at all concerned about "the official beliefs of the Church of England." My only concern is that those who read the New Testament should think out its meaning and implications for themselves—as I have been trying to do. Whether a particular individual's conclusions, sincerely arrived at, accord with mine, ot with the official belief of the Church of England, or with any other formulary, seems to me a secondary matter.]
SIR.—It is undoubtedly true, as Mr. Wilson Harris says, that "more than one Anglican bishop has declared himself unable to accept" that article of the Creed which asserts that Jesus was "born of the Virgin Mary": but, surely, all that this proves is what we unfortunately know —that there are certain heretical bishops in the Church of England.—t.
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