R.W. Seaver, Belfast, 1927

 This case is firmly at the trivial end of the spectrum of heresy cases.

Yet it has one feature which I think may be unique: the accusation of heresy came from a member of a different denomination - an Anglican was accused of heresy by a Presbyterian.

In theory this would seem to imply that the accuser (a) held the view that the Christian faith was both uniform and universal - at the very least in its essentials, and (b) that there was an implicit duty or responsibility placed on some church leaders to monitor and police the boundaries of orthodoxy in other churches. In practice the motivation was probably more about the power dynamics within the presbyterian church concerned.

Press reports are fairly scanty and I have not found any statement from the accuser, so can only speculate as to the events and thinking which eventuated in the accusation. 

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The Rev. R.W. Seaver was the Church of England Rector of St John's Church, Malone Road, Belfast. (Wiki [stub])

He was a liberal minded man who attracted the critical attention of some members of his own church, as well as from other churches.

The complaint of heresy against him came from outwith Seaver's own congregation. "The petition is the independent and, so far as the official authority of the Church is concerned, the unsolicited act of certain individuals, …" (Mr. A.S.G. Loxton, Church Secretary, Belfast Telegraph, Thur 28 April 1927, p.3 col. 2)

The originator of the complaint was a Presbyterian minister, one Rev. Samuel Hanna of Berry Street Presbyterian Church, Belfast, apparently acting on his own account. A subsequent meeting of his church endorsed his action and members declared that they "stood unitedly with him in whatever phases the controversy may assume … while defending the honour of our Lord and the infallibility of His Word, both of which are threatened by the theological teaching of the day.". (Belfast Telegraph, Monday 2 May 1927, p.11 col3) 

Berry Street Presbyterian Church

(Another account attributes the accusation to "the Rev. T.L.F. Stack, with five others" and dates it to the 14 January 1927 (Fermanagh Times, Thursday 14 July 1927, p.5 col6).) 

The ten accusations were fairly comprehensive: that Sever denied the core doctrines of the Trinity and the Atonement; that he did not accept that Jesus was physically raised from the dead, nor that Scripture was trustworthy. He denied the virgin birth, the  ascension of Jesus, and eternal punishment. And, as if that was not enough, he "misrepresented certain teachings." (Daily Mirror, 1 April 1927, p2 col3)

Once an accusation had been received, it was constitutionally necessary to respond formally. A Commission was appointed by Dr. D'Arcy the Primate of All Ireland [Wiki] to consider the complaint that he had received.

On Sunday 10th April, Seaver addressed his congregation and set out what he described was the "general misunderstanding of the heresy charge against him." (Northern Whig, 12 April 1927, p6 col7) The accusation, he said, had come from outwith the Church, "no Bishop or Church official had anything to do with the raising of the question." He accepted he was a rare bird in the Irish Church, a theological liberal and whatever the consequences for his career (he said he had been warned by well-meaning colleagues on this point) he would continue to preach what he believed and not worry about consequences.

The congregation affirmed their support for their minister and set up a defence fund in anticipation of a trial. A date was set for the end of April that year, and then adjourned. 

Commission of enquiry

Archbishop  D'Arcy appointed four senior clergy - the Very Rev. H. R. Brett, M.A. (Dean of Belfast), Rev. Canon H. B. Thompson. B.D. (Canon of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin), and Mr. J. R. Scott, D.L. (Derry) to examine the accusation. Their commission was

"to inquire into, take evidence, and report upon the charges made against Mr. Seaver." (Halifax Evening Courier, Tuesday 24 May, 1927, p5 col.1)

They convened in private on May 24, 1927 and reported to the Primate on the 16th June. Whether they heard witnesses, what factors they considered, and how they came to their conclusion was not made public. 

In turn, the Primate sought the advice of the Lord Chief Justice Moore and Justice Best, two of the lay judges of the Court of the General Synod. Together they concluded that 

a prima facie case had not been established, and, accordingly, ordered the petition to be dismissed and all further proceedings be stayed. (Northern Whig - Wednesday 13 July 1927 p5 col3)

On this advice, the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland duly ordered that the petition charging heresy against the Rev. R. Seaver be dismissed. (Derby Daily Telegraph - Wednesday 13 July 1927 p3 col 2.)

An explanatory statement was issued which described the process that had been followed.  

After that, nothing. 

On the other side, the Berry Street Presbyterian congregation equally supported their minister. At a representative meeting a resolution was passed declaring that, having "followed with close interest the controversy in relation to the recent heresy trial, … we are in fullest sympathy and agreement with the attitude and action of our minister (Rev. Samuel Hannah); we further declare that we stand unitedly with him in whatever phases the controversy may assume in the future, and that we shall regard as our own whatever experiences he may have to meet while defending the honour of our Lord and the infallibility of His Word, both of which are threatened by the theological teaching of the day." (Belfast Telegraph - Monday 02 May 1927 p.11 col.3)