Church and Corporation

Today the Harvard Corporation can dim the most glaring aspect of the "religious controversy." To do so it must reverse what it may regard as a well-established precedent. The decisions which reserved Memorial Church for Christian wedding and funeral services must now appear inconsistent with the role of Harvard as a liberal university and with the role of the church as a memorial to war dead of all faiths. When this issue is resolved the University will be better able to evaluate the larger implications of religion at Harvard.

Memorial Church policy in this matter is the creation of the corporation. In disposing of several appeals, the last in 1949, it has clearly restricted the use of the church, and Dr. Buttrick has merely executed its will. Thus it rests squarely upon the Corporation to redefine ceremonial policy.

This redefinition should occur as soon as possible, in order to remove a rancorous issue from the general forum of religious discussion. It is time to take stock of Harvard's religious infusion, but, while Mem Church must figure in such an evaluation, the wedding problem has aroused sentiments peripheral to and even obscuring more crucial matters.