Religion: Dead & Dying

Britain’s most eloquent and popular Nonconformist preacher is Dr. Frederick William Norwood, a broad-faced, shaggy-locked, Australian-born divine who has long ministered to people of all creeds at London’s City Temple. Currently in the U. S. as an exchange preacher, Dr. Norwood spoke last month at Ocean Grove, N. J., an unworldly Methodist resort featuring oldtime camp meetings. Last week he was at Manhattan’s Riverside Church. At no time in his tour has Dr. Norwood made so bold as to evaluate U. S. religion or speculate as to its future. But back in London, in Dr. Norwood’s own pulpit, a U. S. preacher did no less for British religion. Dr. Joseph Fort Newton of Philadelphia” is a liberal, a nominal Episcopalian, a syndicator of pious press columns (TIME, Nov. 7, 1932). Having preached this summer to large congregations at City Temple he commented: “Religiously, it is a dry time in England. No great voices are speaking and there is no stir among the dry leaves of theology. Never have I seen such dearth and deadness. My impression is that the Anglican church is dead and knows it, and that the free churches are dead and do not know it—but they are finding out. A famous theologian told me yesterday that the churches cannot go on as they are for more than 20 years.”