72 - Ecumenism Exemplified

Ecumenism Exemplified
Reminiscences of an Anglo-Orthodox Summer-School*
By E. L. Mascall

The sun was shining in the sky
With unimpeded ray.
He did his very best to make
The place serene and gay,
And this was strange, because it was
An English summer day.

The rain had vanished sulkily,
Because it thought- the sun
Had got no business to be there
Now August had begun.
"With all these people here," it said,
"We ought to spoil their fun."

The rooms were close as close could be,
The lectures dry as dry.
No heresies had raised their heads,
No schisms wandered by.
You could not think a thought, because
It was too hot to try.

* This parody to the tune of Lewis Carroll's "The Walrus and the Carpenter" from Through the Looking-Glass, is taken with the permission of the publishers from E. L. Mascall's little volume of verses, Pi in the High, Morehouse-Barlow Co., New York, 1959; pp. 42-45. The author is University Lecturer in Philosophy of Religion, Christ Church, Oxford. Perhaps behind this poem lies an earlier book: The Church of God: An Anglo-Russian Symposium (1934). Since then, Professor Mascall has written several books, such as, He Who Is (1943), Christian Theology and Natural Science (1956; the Bampton Lectures), and The Importance of Being Human (1958). In a Foreword Professor Mascall hopes that may be read without umbrage, and if any remain offended I would remind them that to take oneself too seriously is bad theology." The footnote on the Thomist and the Palamite is Mascall's, and while readers of THEOLOGY TODAY may not need to be so instructed, "the simple souls" will (we hope) welcome the identification. The delightful line drawings are by Barbara Jones.

73 - Ecumenism Exemplified

74 - Ecumenism Exemplified

The Thomist and the Palamite¹
Were walking hand in hand.
Each did his very best to make
The other understand.
"If only we could both agree,"
They said, "It would be grand."

"If sixty trained philosophers
Argued for half a year,
Do you suppose," the Thomist said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Palamite,
And shed a bitter tear.

"Let us collect some simple souls,"
The Thomist did beseech,
"For they have very much to learn
And we have much to teach."
"Why, yes," replied the Palamite,
"That ought to heal the breach."

The older theologians heard,
But never a word they said.
While one discreetly winked his eye,
Another shook his head,
Meaning he much preferred to spend
The afternoon in bed.

But crowds of simple souls rushed up,
All eager for the treat.
The Thomist and the Palamite
Sat on the garden-seat,
And all the simple souls sat round
In circles at their feet.

¹ Thomist: an adherent of S. Thomas Aquinas (1225-74), the greatest figure of Western scholasticism. Palamite: an adherent of S. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica (c.1296-1359), one of the leading theologians of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

75 - Ecumenism Exemplified

"The time has come," the Thomist said,
"To talk of many things,
Of angels perched on needle-points
And how a seraph sings."
"And also," said the Palamite,
"If energies have wings."

"But stay," exclaimed the simple souls,
"Before you start your chat.
We have not got the least idea
What you are getting at!"
"No matter," said the Palamite,
"We quite expected that."

"A lot of time," the Thomist said,
"Is what we chiefly need,
Six blackboards and some coloured chalks-
They're very good indeed.
And here are forty-seven books
Which we propose to read."

"But not to us!" their hearers cried,
Turning extremely blue,
"We did not know that was the sort
Of thing you meant to do!"
"Oh dear," the Thomist said, "Of course
I should say, fifty-two.

"It's very kind of us to come
So far from hearth and home."
The Palamite said nothing but
"Fetch me another tome.
I mean the one in fourteen parts
About the Church of Rome.

76 - Ecumenism Exemplified

"It seems a shame," the Thomist said,
"To lead them such a dance;
And yet we surely must not lose
So promising a chance."
The Palamite said nothing but
"They're used to it in France."

"We weep for you," the Thomist said,
"We deeply synpathize.
You boggle at the simplest words
Like 'supernaturalize.'"
"And even," said the Palamite,
"Like 'demythologize.'"

They lectured in alternate spells
Until the set of sun,
And then the question-time began,
But questions there were none,
For on the grass the simple souls
Lay sleeping every one.