Heretical Belief
Dr Jenkins, Bishop of Durham, who expects to retire this year, has made himself notorious for his attacks on orthodox Christian beliefs. His latest foray has been against the doctrines of a lost eternity and of the Second Coming of Christ. As he has already disposed of such doctrines as the Deity of Christ and the Virgin Birth to his own satisfaction, we need not be surprised at his attack on other doctrines of Holy Writ, and replacing them with doctrines more palatable to his fallen nature. The Bishop is an intellectual, and judges the Word of God by his natural, unsanctified understanding. Being still spiritually blind he cannot even recognise that “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” It is as foolish for the Bishop of Durham to pontificate on the doctrines of truth as for a blind man to pontificate on colours. If his eyes are opened in the mercy of God on this side of eternity, he will then acknowledge to be true what he now denies. If not, he will discover on the other side of death the awful reality of a lost eternity.
The “Scotsman” maintains, following an investigation made by that newspaper that there are senior Church of Scotland ministers who deny the Deity of Christ. The paper reported that Rev Gilleasbuig MacMillan, minister of St Giles and a Chaplain to the Queen, asserted that the Virgin Birth was not important and that he would agree with Paul Tillich that it would be a good idea for Christian belief if the word ‘God’ was set aside for several hundred years because it was so misleading. Rev Dr James Weatherhead, Moderator of the General Assembly is reported as claiming that he was saying nothing derogatory to the Virgin Birth in saying it is a symbol. Professor Tom Torrence challenged any minister who rejects belief in the Deity of Christ to have the moral courage and honesty to resign. It remains to be seen whether the Church of Scotland will take any action to root out heretical belief. We fear not, even though it has caused considerable disquiet in some areas.
Sabbath Trading
As noted in last month’s issue the House of Commons approved of a Bill allowing large stores to open for six hours and smaller shops unlimited opening on Sabbath in England and Wales. To all intents and purposes it is little different from the total deregulation which was rejected. The consequences for the nation will appear in due time. The nation that will not serve the Lord will be utterly wasted. Men have lost sight of God, but God has not lost sight of men. The result of the vote is an indication of the moral standing of the members of the present House of Commons. The Bible tells us that “when vile men are high in place, the wicked walk on every side”. There is a very close connection between the moral standing of the rulers and the violence and evil that is practised by those ruled. The condition of Britain therefore can only grow worse.
A United Ireland — the Aim of the Papacy
Last month we noted the desire of the IRA and the Irish Government for a United Ireland. It is also an affront to the Pope of Rome that part of an island that he claims as his own domain should be in the hands of Protestants. His henchman in the IRA have been attempting for several decades to fulfil his desire. Now the British Prime Minister has joined in the fray by saying in an agreement between the British and Eire Governments that there is no bar to a United Ireland. This is only playing into the hands of the murderers and gives them encouragement to continue their struggle to overthrow Protestantism in the north of Ireland. Now it would seem that the Eire Prime Minister would have Mr Major join him in pressurising the North to join with the South. So long as the Protestants in Northern Ireland remain firm in their opposition to all these schemes of their enemies there is little likelihood of the will of the South prevailing. A call for the demilitarisation of the North by the men in the South is an attempt to weaken the hands of the people of Ulster, but we trust that the British Government will reject it out of hand. Peace will come to Ireland when the people of Ireland, North and South, embrace the Prince of Peace. It is enlightening to note that the courier for our Prime Minister’s message to the IRA in March was a Roman Catholic priest, as revealed in the Press.
Divorce
It appears that Britain has more single mothers and divorced couples than any other European Community country. The Lord Chancellor has issued a consultation paper for reform of the ground of divorce. The sole
ground of divorce would be irretrievable breakdown, but that breakdown would be established by one of the parties filing a notice and waiting for one year. During this time couples will be expected to attend a mediation interview. The proposals have come under strong criticism from some quarters. The sad fact is that the door to divorce has been made so wide that little incentive is given to reconciliation. What a sad plight the nation is in when both creation ordinances — marriage and the Sabbath Day — are trampled underfoot. It bodes ill for the future.
Back to Basics
The Prime Minister at the Conservative Conference made a great deal of the need for the nation to get back to basics, which was taken almost universally to mean a return to proper Christian standards and moral values. Sad to relate, the Prime Minister has now gone back on this by saying that it did not include the moral standards of the private lives of Members of Parliament. One of the Ministers’ immoral conduct was brought to light, yet the Prime Minister wished to retain him in office. However the opposition of the MP’s local party ultimately forced him to resign. It is regrettable in the extreme that the Prime Minister should have compromised in this way the stand he had taken at the Party Conference.
Human Fertilisation and Embryology
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has announced that a consultation document is to be released which highlights dangers that have arisen in connection with test-tube babies. The use of aborted foetuses to aid this programme is being called in question. It is thought that fertility clinics in Britain are likely to be banned from using this controversial technique. It may be that this and other developments recently brought to light will bring people to see that the road along which research has gone in this field is contrary to Christian ethics and should never have been set out on from the start. It would be for the benefit of the nation if this whole programme could be abandoned altogether, and the skills of those employed in it used in fields of legitimate scientific and medical research.