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Anyone who attempts to predict the future course of events takes a great risk. But there may be some justification for drawing on the experience of more than forty years in theological study to attempt at least to size up the present scene. I do this with considerable trepidation, for I am aware that I do not possess the gift of prophecy. Provided my comments are regarded as no more that general impressions I will hazard a few remarks.

It seems to me that the state of the church as a whole is very little different from what it was when I began my studies. There is still in existence the rift between those who base their position solely on the Scriptures and those who do not. There are still those who deny some of the major doctrines of the Christian faith, like the resurrection of Christ. There is still a stronghold of critical orthodoxy in many of the theological departments of the Universities and in many theological Colleges. Yet it is clear that there had been a resurgence of traditional orthodoxy and there are many more lecturers and professors who are prepared to stand by the authority of the Bible than there were forty years ago. There is every likelihood that this trend will continue, although it must be admitted that for many the dividing line between critical and biblical orthodoxy is very thin. The blurring of the division is some cause for concern and could lead to a situation in which scholars who claim to maintain Biblical authority are actually denying it in the position being adopted.

It seems to me that one of the greatest needs of the church of today is for more expository preaching. I am not suggesting that there has necessarily been a decline in such preaching in my lifetime, since I do not think it was particularly strong in my earlier days. But I have come more and more to the conviction that Christians as a whole need to be more informed about their faith. It is encouraging to note that young people at the present time have a more vital concern for spiritual truth than happened in my youth, but I am not sure whether this has been sufficiently wedded to an increased understanding of the Bible. In some circles at least the emphasis on the work of the Spirit has not been matched by concentration on the word. I can see great hope for the future of God’s people when the powerful movements of the Spirit are more closely linked to a theological understanding of the Christian faith. The one without the other is bound to lead to a lopsided position and may well result in distortion. It is sad when divisions arise through an overemphasis on one truth at the expense of others.

The surge forward of the ecumenical movement has happened in my lifetime and I wonder what it will achieve in the future. It cannot be denied that there has been greater understanding among different section of the Christian Church as a result of the ecumenical movement. But I ask myself at what cost this has been achieved. My own view is that organisational unity is vastly different from unity of spirit, and that the latter is much more important than the former. The real problem is the basis of unity and I cannot see that there will be much difference in the ecumenical movement in the future. There appears to be a real rift between those who consider that acceptance of biblical authority is essential for real understanding between different sections and those who consider that a much vaguer common denominator is sufficient to ensure unity of purpose. If the church in the future is to make an impact on the world it will have to sound a clear challenge to the world to heed the word of the Lord, but it can hardly be said that the ecumenical movement has been dominated by this aim. I am of the opinion that it is high time for those who stand firm on the Word of God to have done with lesser differences and present a united front. The evangelical witness has too often been weakened by acrimony over less important aspects of doctrine, while the world has looked on in amazement at the lack of agreement. It is a salutary thought that if the energy which has been expended in infighting among evangelicals had been poured into evangelism mighty things might have been accomplished. Yet whether either the desire or the will to patch up minor differences is any more evident in the present than it has been in the past seems to me highly doubtful.

One area in which the voice of the church will certainly have to be more clearly heard is in the matter of armaments. Having lived through the emergence of the nuclear bomb and the horrific possibilities that this opens up, I have come to realise that a whole new dimension confronts mankind. No longer is it possible for any nation to win a world with nuclear armaments, and the moral issue has become acute. It is difficult to assess the extent to which the majority of people have become scared by the prospect and how far this is making them more susceptible to the gospel. But one thing is clear and that is that the theme of judgement is much more meaningful today than it was forty years ago. It may be that the amazing advances in technology will condition man to recognise his increasing helplessness to solve the moral issues. If the church is bold enough to seize it, opportunities for the proclamation of the gospel may well increase in the future.

No one who has even the most casual acquaintance with the media can be oblivious to the increase in violence and sex. This has a corresponding parallel in the increase of violent crimes, rapes and sex offences in society as a whole. No Christian can be complacent about this. With the widespread preaching of the gospel of peace, the general state of society has declined. The Christian message is perhaps being ignored because it is not being presented in a relevant way. If the present trend continues the moral decline of our nation will be desperate. What is needed is a powerful revival of spiritual life to act as an antidote. Unless this happens it is hard to see what the future holds. With the astonishing rise in divorces and in abortions and the consequent breakdown of family life, the Christian church needs to wake up to its urgent responsibilities. So much in our modern society needs challenging in an informed way. Christians must be bold to declare the Christian view on the issues of our time.

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