The Henson Journals

[18]

Thursday, December 6th, 1928.

I started to write my 2nd Quadrennial Charge, but made little progress. The truth is that I am by no means clear either as to what I want to say, or as to what I ought to say. It will be in 3 parts. 1. The Establishment; 2. The Revised Prayer Book 1928; 3. Pastoral Ministry under Modern Conditions. The last, which will deal with the Visitation Returns, will be reserved for the printed form of the Charge. The other two must be delivered. I must connect our assertion of the Church's inherent authority against the State's aggression, with our assertion of the same authority against our own lawless clergy. This will lead me to speak of the real meaning of the "via media" of Anglicanism. A teaching church cannot be without principles & defined doctrines, though, if it be tolerant & charitable, it will be chary of multiplying fundamentals, and very indulgent on all opinions that affect non–fundamentals. The notion of a "bridge Church" may be laughed at.

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