Srit,—The Bishop of Jarrow, in an interesting contribution in your-last
issue to the discussion on " Idealism and Religion,"
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.]
Srit,—The Bishop of Jarrow, in an interesting contribution in your-last issue to the discussion on " Idealism and Religion,"
says : . . as one who has been a parish priest for most of his life I could say a good deal about the joy of worship and the real happiness of the fellowship of parochial life, a happiness which for many years I was privileged myself to enjoy and which I see reproduced in the many different parishes which I now visit." May I suggest that these words are significant in another context ?. They are the words of an important and responsible witness, and it seems to me that they suggest that there must be a good deal of unreality in the allegation that the Church of England is spiritually in fetters by reason of what the recentReport of the Church Commission on Church and State describes as " the subordination of the Church to a Parliament- which might (the italics are mine) consist largely of non-Christians and does consist largely of persons who are not members of the , Church of England." Certainly this evidence of the Bishop of Jarrow does not suggest that the clergy and people of the parishes are suffering in their spiritual lives and activities by reason of the Royal, now Parliamentary, Supremacy.
- I daresay that there are- a good many members of both Houses of Parliament who believe with Miss Patricia Gilbert- todge that Christ "never meant-religion to beta complicated affair of dogma, theory and-ritual." Are they then less fitted to take their part in the exercise of the State Supremacy Of course, if churchmen really believe themselves to be suffering bondage in spiritual matters to the State they can no doubt have disestablishment for the asking. Would it not have been more dignified if the Church Commission, contending that the Church of England has not spiritual independence, had frankly made proposals for disestablishment instead of putting forward a scheme which, when fairly and candidly examined, has, I suggest, an unpleasant- appearance of an attempt to " dodge " the Parliamentary Supremacy while retaining the advantages of Establishment and Endowment ?-
[The Spectator will publish next week an article by Mr. II. G. Wood on " A Faith for Today."- -En. The Spectator.]
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