5 SEPTEMBER 1952, Page 15

The Church and Divorce Sm,—The protest of Janus against Roman

Catholic and High Anglican views on divorce being accepted as the Christian attitude can be supported by the example of the Greek Orthodox Church and of the Church of Scotland as well as the Lutheran Church. The Lambeth Conference of 1888 can also be appealed as representative of Christian belief. It declared that " our Lord's words expressly forbid divorce, except in the case of fornication or adultery "; and recognised " the fact that there always has been a difference of opinion in the Church on the question whether our Lord meant to forbid marriage to the innocent party in a divorce for adultery." The Lambeth Conference of 1908 expressly reaffirmed these resolutions. There has been no later divine revelation that shows the Bishops of 1888 and 1908 were in ignorance.

Primates of the Anglican Church like. Tait, F. Temple, Davidson, and Bishops like Cosin, Hall, Christopher Wordsworth, Creighton, Edw. King were unaware that the absolute indissolubility of marriage was a Christian doctrine—as were also several of the Fathers and Councils of the ancient Church. One can understand Dean Hastings Rashdall's outburst—" That Christian people should be found stumping the country with the assertion ' that the Christian Church has always condemned divorce' really amounts to a public scandal. Such an dssertion must be based upon sheer ignorance or upon sheer disregard for truth."—Yours, The See House, Belfast.

WILLIAM-. DOWN AND DROMORE.