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Gracious in argument (excerpts from Bede's account of the Synod of Whitby

In 663 a church council was held at Whitby in the kingdom of Northumbria to determine which customs should prevail in the nascent church in what is now England: the Irish or the Roman? The spokesperson for the Roman side was a young priest called Wilfrid, who had been brought up in Irish monasticism, but then travelled to Rome and elsewhere to further his education. 

When challenged on their traditions (eg the date of Easter, and also the form of monastic tonsure), the Irish side, represented by bishop Colman, objected:

"Are we to believe that our most revered Father Columba and his successors, acted contrary to the Holy Scriptures when they followed these customs?"

Listen to how Wilfrid responds both graciously but also firmly: 

"Concerning your Father Columba and his followers, whose sanctity you say you imitate, and whose rule and precepts confirmed by signs from Heaven you say that you follow, I might answer, then when many, in the day of judgement, shall say to our Lord, that in His name they have prophesied, and have cast out devils, and done many wonderful works, our Lord will reply, that He never knew them. But far be it from me to speak thus of your fathers, for it is much more just to believe good than evil of those whom we know not. Wherefore I do not deny those also to have been God's servants, and beloved of God, who with rude simplicity, but pious intentions, have themselves loved Him. Nor do I think that such observance of Easter did them much harm, as long as none came to show them a more perfect rule to follow; for assuredly I believe that, if any teacher, reckoning after the Catholic manner, had come among them, they would have as readily followed his admonitions, as they are known to have kept those commandments of God, which they had learned and knew." 

 

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