13 MARCH 1971, Page 24

The Gospels

Sir: If the rules of historical evi- dence inhibit one from accepting the historicity of the Gospel narra- tive, one is still left with the par- ables which the narrative enshrines. How is one then to account for these, except by 'inventing' a reli- gious genius, of whom history knows precisely nothing, to take the place of an author, of whose life it admittedly knows little? The value of tradition should count for some- thing—even with historians.

H. W. Llewellyn Smith I Ockley Road, London sw16