An Easter sermon
Sir: I hope that you refused to be blinded by the science of a correspondent who suggested (SPECTA• TOR, 31 March) that theologians need not panic if the empty tomb proved not to be a historical fact
Or will it be in order for an ordinary con-man to counter 'thou shalt not bear false witness' by appealing 'not to be judged simply ny a historical yardstick' on the last day? Will he be able to get away with indicating, not too loftily let us hope, that he had merely not wished 'to play that particu- lar game'? It is always encouraging in find that someone has been reading Wittgenstein; in the case of your correspondent of 31 March, however, some further study of ideas on metalanguages, logical hierarchies and the Cretan who said all Cretans are liars would seem to be an appropriate next step. 'No one now bothers about the historcal untruth of Genesis,' he writes. Quite so. And if he refers to the Easter sermon which prompted his letter, your correspondent will see how many now `bother about religion at all. Could there be a correlation? Is there no difference between liking ChristianitY as history and believing its propositions to be true?
Previous page
