by Christ,
and the supreme law of ethics, the demonstrably final law of ethics, is
laid down--Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Of course the words come from the Old Testament. Some critics used
to say: "You will find in the Rabbis almost everything, if not
quite everything, which you find in the teaching of Christ." "Yes,"
added Wellhausen, "and how much else besides." It was the singling
out of this great principle and laying the whole emphasis upon it
that made the difference.

To a man who believes that Christ came to set up the Kingdom of God,
clearly neither the Conservative nor Liberal Party can appeal with any
compelling force of divinity. How far the Labour Party may appeal must
depend, I should think on the man's knowledge of economic law. As Dean
Inge says, Christ's sole contribution to economics is "Beware of
covetousness"--an injunction which the Labour Party has not yet quite
taken to its heart. But Dr. Temple has a right to challenge his clerical
critics for Christ's sanction of the present system, which is certainly
founded on covetousness and produces strikingly hideous results.

His theological position may be gathered from the following reply which
he made, as a Canon of Westminster, to a representative of the _Daily
Telegraph_ nearly two years ago. I do not think he has greatly changed.
He was asked how far the Church could go in meeting that large body of
opinion which cannot accept some of its chief dogmas. He replied:

I can speak freely, because I happen to hold two of the dogmas
which most people quarrel about--the virgin birth and the physical
resurrection. There are other heresies floating about! One of our
deans is inclined to assert the finitude of God, and another to
deny anything in the nature of personality to God or to man's
spirit! Rather confusing! Philosophic questions of this kind,
however, do not greatly concern mankind. To believe in God the
Father is essential to the Christian religion. Other doctrines may
not be so essential, but they must not be regarded as unimportant.
Personally I wish the Church to hold her dogmas, because I would do
nothing to widen the gulf which separates us from the other great
Churches, the Roman and the Eastern. The greatest political aim of
humanity, in my opinion, is a super-state, and that can only come
through a Church universal. How we