1888: The Reign of Grace

November 7, 2021

By AHNZ

Otago, the Province founded by Scots, who were empowered by Presbyterian souls, took their Christianity very seriously. As a direct result of their religion the Otago Settlers placed a very high premium on education. Hence, the founding of Otago University (1869) and of the Presbyterian Theological College (1876.)

The Theological College’s founding was the same moment that Reverend William Salmond was appointed its first professor of theology. The Church, in Dunedin, brought Salmond to New Zealand in May 1876 to fulfill a purpose. It is not clear to me if he did what the Colonists wanted him to do or if it backfired on them in heretical fashion.

Salmond “…gradually built up the infant Theological College, soliciting support and enthusiasm and laying the basis for its curriculum.” By 1909 the College had been re-named or succeeded by what is today Knox College. Just as Salmond was a heretical college principal in his era, so too would Lloyd Geering do the same in the 1960s while principal of Knox College. It’s remarkable how history repeats. However, of the two men top marks must go to Geering who was tried by his church for heresy in 1967.  For both men the heretical innovations burst out after they had served as principals. Or, did they? It’s hard to assume that the outbursts of their true convictions were kept under professional wraps during all those years both men were the guides of the new generation of Presbyterian intellectuals.

“The Free Church of Scotland was established to get away from state control. They were sick of being told what to do by the British. Founding Dunedin was part of that plan but it went to bits when it turned out they were on the edge of a gold field. Hard to be self-flagellating, puritanical, anguished and dour when there are goldmines pumping wealth and booze and girls and song and luxury in your face…The Celtic Puritan town was well inconvenienced.” – Dunedin Buggered by Baldwin, AHNZ

“The jubilee of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand Theological College was celebrated to-day, being really the jubilee of the appointment of the bite Dr. Salnvond as professor of theology in 1876.” – Wairarapa Daily Times (1926); Papers Past

“In 1966, the Professor created controversy by publicly refuting the resurrection of Jesus. After that had blown over, in 1967, Geering followed it up by doubting the immortality of the soul! Similar to the Radio Hauraki Pirates of ’66, Geering was disrupting the conservative orthodoxy. He was doing for prayer-waves what Hauraki did for the air-waves.” – 1967: The Heretic, AHNZ

In 1886 Salmond was appointed to Otago University’s Chair of Mental and Moral Philosophy. Now he had some tenure his true views become more public and it was much to the shock of classical Calvanistic churchmen. Salmond published the pamphlet The Reign of Grace (1888) which outraged traditionalists by putting forward a new, liberal, interpretation of Presbyterianism.

The central idea Salmond proposed was that there was no need at all for mortals to give themselves to God in this life at all. There was no deadline to stop sinning and to follow Jesus Christ. No “grace” period to learn about true faith and come to Jesus so that when he comes back on Judgement Day you’ll get to go to the Good Place instead of Hell to burn.

These sorts of revisions are all very well for a free thinking man. They take on quite another character coming from men placed in positions of trust like Salmond and Geering. Even as an Anarchist, an Athiest, my sense of decency and propriety recoils at this conflict of interest! The Professors both ate and drank the food and wealth of the cloth while happily taking an axe to the hand that fed them. Such tactics are worthy of the Art of War as instructed by Saul Alinsky in Rules for Radicals (1971) or The Screwtape Letters written by C.S. Lewis (1942.)

Where do bad folks go when they die?
They don’t go to Heaven where the angels fly
They go down to the lake of fire and fry
See ’em again ’til the fourth of July- Nirvana

And the devil is downhearted
Because there’s nothing left for him to claim
He said: “It’s just like home
It’s so low-down, I can’t stand it
I guess my work around here has all been done”- The Garden of Allah, Don Henley

No wonder Presbyterianism in New Zealand is in crisis. Its churches are abandoned to rot and to “accidentally” catch fire just as St James did in Mt Eden recently. Only a bit better is that these old congregations are picked apart, discarded, and left to rival faiths to pick up and use as was the old Balmoral Church in Auckland.

The work of Salmond and Geering is done now. The Liberals have won and moved on to other academic pastures to graze on, other organs of civilisation’s body to devour and deconstruct. There’s not enough Presbertarianism left to intellectually dismantle now. Only bones; Their buildings. I can’t imagine a third heretic following those men whose work around here has all been done. Never mind taking the church apart while being paid by the church to do it!

Note:  Professor Dame Anne Salmond, the liberal continuing the same work as above, is indeed descended from Professor W. Salmond through marriage. Jeremy Salmond is the Prof’s great-great grandson.

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Image ref.  Hocken Library, University of Otago; Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Ref. L.J.Salmond, Wiki

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