IN SEARCH OF FREEDOM

Since the West Coast Christian carried an announcement of our affiliation with the Congregational Church, a number of friends have written to us expressing regrets. These kind letters have been appreciated and we are preparing a brief statement for the information of these interested friends.

The shock which these good people have received from our move is quite understandable. We are members of Church of Christ families which have been identified with the church for several generations. We are former students of Christian colleges, and I served as head of the Religion Department in one of them. In days gone by I have had opportunities to serve those schools as dean and also as president, and have occupied Church of Christ pulpits from Detroit to Los Angeles. For four years we were in Japan where I taught in the Hokkaido Imperial University and assisted in establishing the first Church of Christ mission in the northern islands of Japan.

Therefore, our religious change has not been made in ignorance of the Church of Christ and its teachings. Neither has it been made in haste, nor in anger, but out of deep conviction -- a conviction that has grown over a period of many years of university training, prayer, and thoughtful consideration. Our reasons for this change are legion, but we shall list only a few of them in this statement.

[page 104]

First, we do not subscribe to the belief that the Church of Christ, as it is so labeled, includes all the true Christians. To become identified with another religious group is no evidence that one is not a member of the Church of Christ in its true and universal sense.

Second, the teaching of the Church of Christ is based upon a superficial interpretation of the Bible and is fundamentally in error. This is true with reference to the nature of God, Christ, the Bible, the Church, man's mission in the world, and many other issues having both theological and social implications.

Third, the teaching of the Church of Christ is inconsistent and contradicts the announced slogans of the so-called Restoration Movement. The Church of Christ proposes to speak where the Bible speaks and keep silent where it is silent. It does neither.

Fourth, the Church of Christ claims to have no creed except Christ, but it has over twenty unwritten creeds to one of which one must subscribe in order to have fellowship with that particular wing of the church with which one chooses to become identified. Some of the letters which we have received, including letters from ministers known to be "sound in the faith," point out that the Church of Christ is becoming increasingly interested in heresy hunting. How do these heresy hunters determine when they have found a victim? They hear his speech, or read his writings, and weigh what they hear or read against the teaching in the unwritten creed or creeds which they have adopted as their standard. Christ was wise enough to stay out of the writing field, but He was finally apprehended by heresy hunters of His day and condemned on the basis of hearsay. The hearsay was inaccurate, as it always is, but His devotion to truth was strong enough to lead Him to His cross rather than recant and subscribe to the unwritten creed of those He knew to be in error. Had He done otherwise He would have died in oblivion,

[page 105]

and probably would have lost His own soul as did the heresy hunters who nailed Him to His cross.

Fifth, the Church of Christ claims to have all the truth, but, in fact, is groping in darkness. It absolutely forbids new light to enter, and perpetuates its own inadequate insights by refusing to hear those who have persisted in their quest for truth. The founder of the Christian religion met the same type of religionists in His day and told them it was a case of the blind leading the blind.

Sixth, the Church of Christ makes great capital of its abilities properly to divide the word of God, but the system used is without scriptural sanction and has the net result of rejecting large portions of the Bible on the grounds that it was written to another people or a different age. The historical appproach to Bible study restores every verse of the Scriptures and makes the entire Bible throb with intense interest to the modern student.

Seventh, the educational program of the Church of Christ is unwilling to trust the youth of the church with the facts of life and religion. It exposes its youth to a smattering of superficialities and when they go on for more advanced learning they are often left in a state of frenetic confusion. Some of them drop by the wayside, a few go on to new convictions, and others apathetically fall in line with public opinion in the church, ratifying and perpetuating the existing order. Our souls are stirred by mixed emotions when intelligent, highly-educated ministers say, "We know these to be the facts, but our people are not yet ready to receive them. We must go slowly and lead them gradually." We would be the last to betray these ministers. We fully recognize their desire to remain with the people whom they love better than their own souls, but we feel that a deeper loyalty to Christ should inspire them to take up their crosses and follow Him who said,

[page 106]

"Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Eighth, the leaders of the Church of Christ have placed it in an embarrassing position by continual warfare upon science and the scientific attitude. This fight against science is based upon fear that it will destroy faith in the pet shibboleths of the church. It does. Some of the most cherished doctrines of the church of Christ burst like irridescent bubbles when exposed to the searchlight of the scientific approach in religion. The Apostle Paul was using scientific terminology when he said, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." Real science does not drive one away from true religion. Dr. Millikan is an ardent Congregationalist, and other scientists are also devout Christians. The scientific approach to religion should have a salutary effect in driving out much of the superstition and fear which has haunted religion through the centuries, and will help the Church to retain in its leadership many good men who otherwise would be lost.

Ninth, the message of the Church of Christ is negative in much of its teaching, and offers no constructive program to take the place of that which it condemns. With reference to many of its "thou shalt nots," it could well afford to "eliminate the negative and accentuate the positive."

Tenth, the Church of Christ has such great faith in the correctness of its position that it has developed a smugness that borders on that holier-than-thou attitude so well illustrated by certain religious sects who received the most scathing rebukes of Christ in His day.

Eleventh, the Church of Christ preaches undenominational Christianity, but in reality is the most denominational of all denominations. It is neither Protestant nor Catholic, but a group of small, warring sects which are little denominations within a denomination.

Twelfth, the Church of Christ preaches unity and practices division more paradoxically than any church with which we are familiar. The greatest need in this war-torn world is united effort on the part of Christian peoples around the earth. In our opinion the Church of Christ will not espouse such a cause, but will continue to tear itself to pieces over minor issues while the world burns.

Thirteenth, the Church of Christ refuses to cooperate with its religious neighbors in movements that are designed to make the world a better place in which to live, but compasses land and sea in quest of proselytes on the basis that it has a more certain pattern for reaching heaven. Jesus told the proselyters of His day that their converts became two-fold more the children of hell; we may well ask ourselves if we are not helping history to repeat itself at this point.

Fourteenth, the Church of Christ, in many places, is trying to carry water on both shoulders by appearing to be liberal to the world and strictly orthodox to its own brotherhood. In one case the Church's position on undenominational Christianity was deliberately made to appear as a broad-gauged liberal Christianity which was wide open to peoples of all religious faiths. Certain of our Christian colleges have found this to be a good way to gain prestige with the educational leaders of the community.

Fifteenth, the Church of Christ claims to be allied with the religious fundamentalists, but its position is more accurately described by the term incidentalist. The merest incidental in the daily experience of New Testament characters is magnified into a matter of great importance and around it is built an article of faith for the unwritten creed.

Even a matter which was so incidental that neither Christ nor the Apostles referred to it in any way is included in the creed on the basis that the New Testament is not only inclusive but exclusive in its teaching. Instrumental music is an incidental which falls in this category. The modern hymnal and many other things

[page 108]

might well be condemned on the same basis. The incidentalists in Christ's day placed religious significance on the incidental of washing hands; and it is strange that the Church has not done the same for the washing of feet, because they have a New Testament example for that custom.

The Jews and Samaritans considered the place of worship an incidental of great importance, but Jesus pointed out to them that the place of worship is a mere incidental and focused their attention upon the more important fact that God is a spiritual being and "seeketh such to worship him." Those same religionists crucified Christ because He discredited other incidentals in their religion and pointed them to the "weightier matters of the law." From the viewpoint of His adversaries He was a modernist in His day, but in reality He emphasized fundamentals and they magnified incidentals. Incidentalism should not be mistaken for fundamentalism.

Sixteenth, the Church of Christ has its eyes on the past and is more concerned with "old paths," than in directing people to paths they can follow successfully in our modern age. Although we wear the habiliments of civilization, some of us have not advanced far from the primitive tribal faith in the witch doctor. Our gullibility and non-scientific approach to the concepts of our forebears have prevented us from getting a true perspective of the world in which we live.

For example, in order to preserve preconceived and inherited theories of Biblical inspiration and interpretation, we vilify God before our youth by identifying Him with the wars of the Jews and the slaughter of ancient races while we do and say little to outlaw war and relieve race tensions in our own day. We pay great tribute to the inspired prophets of old and attribute marvelous things to the New Testament period of inspiration, but oppose as unscriptural innovations everything that might add beauty and inspiration in the

[page 109]

religious experiences of our own children. These are only a few products of this backward look in religion as practiced in the Churches of Christ.

Seventeenth, the Church of Christ does not encourage growth and has a set policy which opposes change. No institution, including the church, can hope to survive in this changing world unless it encourages constant reappraisal of things as they are and stimulates hope that leads to action for their betterment. This does not mean that eternal verities are to be kept in constant flux, but it does suggest that these lasting values must constantly be reoriented in a changing world, just as Jesus did for religion in His day. Any other policy leads to an enduring social stratification based on birth, race, religion, or wealth -- whether inherited or otherwise acquired.

Eighteenth, the Church of Christ has no place in its fellowship for one who does not conform fully to the status quo. Even though we cast him out of our ecclesiastical circle, we expect him to remain with us and expose his children to our unfair attacks. Every man, woman, and child needs a sense of security and a feeling of belonging. It has been my observation for many years that the Church of Christ withdraws these essential requirements of the human spirit from those who manifest a tendency to do independent thinking. This is a subtle type of force. A more democratic institution appeals to reason rather than force to secure its end.

Nineteenth, the Church of Christ has a double standard for judging persons who are accused of violating what the church considers to be New Testament teaching. Those who transgress the moral code are dealt with on one basis and those who depart from the Church's theological position are dealt with on a different basis. Here is an illustration of how two leaders were handled: one man was reported liberal in his point of view, the other was convicted of immoral conduct.

[page 110]

The liberal was cast out and forced to seer another fellowship, even though he loved the church with every fibre of his being. The man who had violated the moral law was exalted to the most honored positions in the church. This illustration could be multiplied tenfold.

Twentieth, there are many indications that the Church of Christ is showing signs of decadence and that it is running a marathon race with catastrophe. It is true that certain shifts in our population are causing increased membership in some sections of the country, but there is little manifest interest by those from without. Of greater significance is the fact that many members of the church are discontented, discouraged, and starving for spiritual uplift which does not, and cannot, radiate from a church whose message is basically negative, argumentative, belligerent, and antagonistic.

Having been denied in the Church of Christ a wholehearted fellowship in which we could raise our family, we have sought the fellowship of the Congregationalists, not because they are perfect nor because they have all the truth. But they encourage scholarship, are in harmony with modern religious thought, practice tolerance within and without their fellowship, earnestly seek and accept new truth, have a rare faculty for discerning fundamentals, do not disproportionately emphasize incidentals, weigh all related facts in their interpretation of the Bible and religion, have neither a written nor unwritten creed, have a constructive and modern educational program for youth, encourage intellectual honesty, take cognizance of the present and look toward the future, cooperate fully with every good cause, encourage growth, are not opposed to change, allow for individual differences in spiritual growth, and fellowship those who have attained different levels of religious thinking in their development.

If we ever come to feel differently we shall be frank to say so, and shall be as sincere then as we are now in the stand we are taking. In the meantime, we are still your friends and shall continue to love you as we always have.

My wife and I have, in our hearts, great and abiding sentiments about the church of our childhood and always rejoice in every report of its achievements and progress. It is heartening to know that an increasing number of its leaders are assuming an open-minded attitude toward the facts of modern scholarship in religion. My wife and I enjoy the friendship of many Church of Christ members, even though we are no longer affiliated with that fellowship.

It is my feeling that the Restoration Movement was motivated by conditions in the religious world which were oppressive and in need of reform. I was impressed anew with this on a recent eight months trip around the world during which my wife and I visited thirty-two countries. The shrines and temples in Oriental countries, the monuments and pyramids of Egypt, the colossus of St. Peter's and the fabulous cathedrals of Europe are all monuments to the slavery of the poor, illiterate masses and to departures from the simple foundations of -all world religions, including Christianity.

I believe that the attempt to restore the simplicity of the New Testament church was a worthy cause and that the Church of Christ stood in the vanguard of a movement which could have resulted in great good had later leaders in the movement not succumbed to narrow, authoritarian dogmatism which turned it into one of the most denominational sects of our modern age.