§ 2.35 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government upon what date it is proposed to bring into force the Easter Act 1928.]
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, whether or when the Easter Act 1928 can be brought into operation depends on the outcome of the inquiries now being made by the World Council of Churches into the possibility of a fixed date for Easter being agreed among the Christian Churches in general. The Government are awaiting the result of these inquiries with interest, but it is impossible at present to say when they will be completed.
LORD MERTHYRMy Lords, does the noble Lord, Lord Bowles, realise that there is not a word in the Act which mentions the agreement of the Churches?
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, my noble friend is not quite right. If he looks at Section 2 (2), he will see that it says:
Provided … that before making such draft order"—which is referred to earlier—regard shall be had to any opinion officially expressed by any Church or other Christian body.
LORD MERTHYRMy Lords, are the words "opinion officially expressed" (because I also have a copy of the words) the same as agreement?
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, I took up this point with my advisers, and I felt, and they felt, that no Government in this country, or in any country, would be likely to legislate for a fixed Easter when they had not secured the complete agreement of the Churches.
LORD MERTHYRMy Lords, would the noble Lord agree that if Parliament had desired in 1928 that agreement should be first obtained it would have said so?
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, I am not responsible for what Parliament said nearly forty years ago, but perhaps Parliament would have said it to-day.
THE LORD BISHOP OF EXETERMy Lords, does my noble friend recollect that last spring the national Assembly 3 of the Church of England expressed itself as being in favour of a fixed Easter in accordance with the terms of the Easter Act 1928?
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, we understand from the British Council of Churches that by August, 1966, of the 221 churches to whom a questionnaire on the subject had been sent, only 74 had answered. On the basis of these answers we are told it appears that all were in favour of finding a common date; most thought that the Church was free to examine the question, and most wished the World Council of Churches to take further responsibility in the matter. We are aware that the British Council of Churches have agreed to this, but they also decided that if all the Churches are not in agreement the question should be considered again in the light of the opinions expressed throughout Christendom.
THE LORD BISHOP OF EXETERMy Lords, is the Minister not aware that this matter has been under discussion in the World Council of Churches since 1963; that it is surely unlikely that there would be universal agreement throughout all the Churches, but that the Church of England has agreed; and the Church of Rome—the Vatican Council—I understand has also agreed? Does the Minister intend to wait for universal agreement from every Christian body represented on the World Council of Churches?
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, we should like to see that obtained, but the position is that only 74 Churches in Christendom have replied, out of the 221 Churches circulated, and the World Council of Churches have asked all who have not so far replied to let them have a reply by this February in time for the next meeting of the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches. We hope that when the August meeting of the World Council takes place they will then be able to advise the Government and other Governments.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, will Her Majesty's Government approach the World Council of Churches again and press them for an answer? Or do we have to wait until the whole 221 have replied?
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, we hope, through the British Council of Churches, to ask the World Council of Churches to do exactly what the noble Marquess wants.
§ LORD FERRIERMy Lords, two years ago the World Council of Churches were discussing this matter. Is it the intention of the Government, when it has taken forty years to get a reply from 70 Churches, that we should wait until another 140 reply?
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, I tried to make clear that I do not think any responsible Home Secretary or Government would like to legislate for a fixed Easter in this country when a great number of Churches in other parts of the world did not see eye to eye with us.
LORD MERTHYRMy Lords, would not the noble Lord agree that that is exactly what Her Majesty's Government did do, nearly forty years ago?
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, the noble Lord will remember what Government that was.