Church, Faith and Property

Nearly one hundred years ago Marx wrote: “The English Established Church will more readily pardon an attack on 38 of its 39 articles than on one thirty- ninth of its income.”

Remembering the zeal with which the Church fought to protect its tithes over the centuries and its traditional defence of private property, Marx’s assessment was justified, and the current dispute about the 39 Articles reinforces it. The Church dignitary who raised the issue declared that he does not agree with all of the Articles but he nevertheless assented to them because otherwise he could not have got the appointment: which led other, more conscientious, churchmen to protest about him and his ideas of ethical conduct.

But if the Church’s attachment to what are supposed to have been its basic articles of faith for four hundred years is lukewarm, its interest in looking after its property is in no doubt. Its total income is now over £40 million a year, more than double the amount of a few years ago.

A large part of the increase has been due to a change of policy over investments of the Church. Commissioners who, instead of relying on prayer made use of investment experts. Their total income, which in 1952-3 was under £8 million, was in 1961-2, more than £16 million; of which £8,993,275 came from Stock Exchange Securities, £4,576,161 from Agricultural and Urban Estates, and £1,471,949 from mortgages.

Doubtless those responsible would say that they have to keep up with the times, which also accounts for their minds turning to amalgamation of the rival Christian faiths. But while they are learning from the business world about more profitable ways of investing they might also take note that amalgamation often means “take-over.” The Sunday Telegraph (9/6/63) warns its fellow Anglicans that parleying with the Roman Catholics may result in “the eventual submission of the Church of England to the Roman obedience.”

While on the subject of winds of change in the Christian world the Communists must not be forgotten. Pope John not only interested the Church of England in his discussions for unity, but also the representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, and when he died the Daily Worker in its issue of June 4, claimed that he was mourned by “hundreds of millions of people throughout the world,” among those millions being supporters of the Communist Party. Under the heading, “World Mourns Peace Pope,” the Daily Worker claimed that the Pope “opened the way to new possibilities of co-operation between Catholics and Communists for peace and social progress.”

H.