World Church-In Brief
Diocesan Press Service. August 7, 1967 [56-3]
Ecumenically Speaking
British Methodists overwhelmingly rejected attempts to delay negotiations on unity with the Church of England. The representatives to the Methodist Conference were faced with a resolution asking that the church membership be asked once again whether it was in favor of union with Anglicans. They defeated the attempt, clearing the way for a definitive vote on union proposals at next year's conference.
Five New Zealand Churches committed themselves to seek a basis of union during May. The event is unique, according to the Archbishop of Melbourne, the Most Rev. Frank Woods, who was visiting preacher, because the churches concerned were committing themselves without first working out a Basis of Union. Churches involved are the Anglican, Associated Churches of Christ, Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian.
The Presbyterian Church in Canada has accepted the invitation to join the Anglican Church and United Church of Canada in their talks on union. The decision was reached at the 93rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada which met-in Ottawa.
The Roman Catholic and Dutch Reformed churches in the Netherlands have agreed to recognize each other's baptisms. In the future the two churches will exchange baptismal certificates on request in cases involving the question of whether a person is legitimately baptised.
Historic Christ Episcopal Church in Philadelphia was the scene of the city's first ecumenical wedding. The officiating priest was Father James J. Murphy, Roman Catholic chaplain at the University of Pennsylvania. The Rev. Ernest A. Harding, rector of Christ Church, read the Epistle and gave the Benediction. The ceremony had the approval of Archbishop John J. Krol and of the Rt. Rev. Robert DeWitt, Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania.
Joint Anglican-Roman Catholic schools have been urged in Wales. The plan, proposed by Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Langton Fox of Menevia, would, if approved, result in the first "twinned" interdenominational school project of its kind in Britain. The Rt. Rev. John Richards, Anglican Bishop of St. David's, has welcomed the proposal and authorized exploration of the idea.
Union of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church received final approval late in June. The new denomination, to be known as the United Methodist Church, will be constituted formally at a Uniting Conference of the two denominations in Dallas, Texas, April 21 - May 4, 1968.
The nation's ninth specialized center to train clergymen in meeting the problems of today's cities has opened in Washington, D. C. The Metropolitan Ecumenical Training Institute is headed by an interdenominational board of directors which includes Protestants, Anglicans and Roman Catholics. Director of the training unit is the Rev. Tilden H. Edwards, Jr., rector of St. Stephens and the Incarnation Episcopal Church. The Rt. Rev. Paul Moore, Jr., Suffragan Bishop of Washington, is chairman of the board of directors.
Union Theological Seminary has announced the appointment of the Rev. Hans Kung, German theologian and one of the foremost advocates of reform within the Roman Catholic Church as Harry Emerson Fosdick Visiting Professor during the 1967-68 spring semester.
An inter-faith immigration office has recently opened in Toronto. Representatives of the Christian and Jewish communities have been involved in the formation of the center which will serve as a place for referral of information and communications to immigrants arriving in Canada.
News From Overseas
The Rt. Rev. C. Edward Crowther, Bishop of Kimberley and Kuruman, was deported from South Africa June 30. Bishop Crowther, a British-born American citizen received the deportation order shortly after a speech denouncing South African racial policies at the Pacem in Terris conference in Geneva, Switzerland. The U. S. Embassy in Johannesburg has announced plans for a full inquiry. Dr. R. H. Espy, NCC general secretary, in a statement made shortly afterwards, stated his "grave concern both for the suffering which continues to be imposed upon South African citizens of color and for the ways in which apartheid interferes with and obstructs the life and mission of the church in that unhappy land. " Although future plans are unknown, Bishop Crowther has announced that he plans to keep his post as 'bishop in exile.
Vietnam Christian Service has received seven more volunteers - a registered nurse, two social workers, a home economist and three persons who will supervise refugee feeding. These persons bring to 62 the number of persons from the United States currently serving with Vietnam Christian Service. Eight Canadians, one Swiss, and 40 Vietnamese complete the staff.
A rural community development program has been started with church support in the Fort Johnson-East District of Malawi. The project, known as Utumiki, which means "rendering of humble service," was suggested by the Christian Service Committee of the Christian Council of Malawi. Temporary headquarters have been established and an agriculturalist, a literacy supervisor, medical supervisor and community development supervisor and assistant are already at work. Funds are being sought from churches around the world through the Ecumenical Program for Emergency Action in Africa and there is indication that Roman Catholics will also be participating in the work.
The Rev. Canon Guy Marshall has been elected Suffragan Bishop of Trinidad and Tobago. He will assume responsibility for work in Venezuela, presently under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Trinidad and Tobago. Because of distances involved, people in Venezuela have received only spasmodic ministrations from the church. Canon Marshall's ministry will, therefore, be a pioneering effort. A Yorkshireman by birth, Canon Marshall served seamen in Buenos Aires and Rosario in Argentina for 14 years and is presently chaplain of the Mission to Seamen and rector of St. Stephen's Church, Toronto.
Family life seminars are being held in the Caribbean under the auspices of the World Council of Churches. A three-member team sponsored by Church World Service's Planned Parenthood Program will attend, and will also help conduct local family planning programs with clergymen, laymen and physicians throughout the area.
The Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church in the United States will share in providing about half of the $100, 000 needed for the construction of a training school and factory near Calcutta. The school and factory, to accommodate about 20 students, will offer three years of education and training, graduating blacksmiths, fitters, machinists and lathe operators. Funds coming from the United States are from the United Thank Offering of the women of the church. Those from Canada, from Anglican World Mission funds.
On the Home Front
New York City's Layman's School of Theology, going into its fifth year, will be incorporated into the New School for Social Research. The series scheduled for February will be an extension course open to all interested adults entitled "Revolution in the Church. " The move was made, Layman's School leaders stated, because the churches are now moving into the area of training laymen and the School's purpose as innovator is fulfilled.
American Christians are being urged to watch a four hour special on Africa to be seen Sept. 10 on ABC-TV. Grounded in more than a year of research, the four- hour special will deal with all aspects of African life today. Narrator of the program will be Gregory Peck. Actress Signe Hasso and singer Miriam Mabeba will also appear.
The Rev. William Pollard, director of the Oak Ridge Atomic Institute and Episcopal priest, participated in a panel on "The Future--Some Value Considerations," during a conference on "This New Age" sponsored jointly by the Commission on White House Fellows and the Washington Cathedral, July 15. The purpose of the Conference was to acquaint White House Fellows with the crucial public policy issues that will confront this nation in the next 25 - 50 years. Fellows are chosen from rising leaders in all fields and, during their year as fellow, are assigned as assistants to White House staff members, the Vice President, Cabinet Officers and other top officials.
A new Assembly of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew has been formed in the Diocese of Los Angeles. The formation of this new Assembly, with which seven chapters will be affiliated, will make the Diocese of Los Angeles the only diocese in the United States having three Assemblies.
The Rev. William Z-Liang Sung, D.D., president of St. John's University, Shanghai from 1939 to 1946, died July 17 in a Berkeley, Calif. hospital. Since 1951, Dr. Sung had worked for the Episcopal Diocese of California as college chaplain for Oriental students. Dr. Sung was the son of the first Chinese bishop of the Anglican Church in China, the Rt. Rev. Tsae-Sing Sung. He is survived by his wife.
The University of the South has assumed responsibility for the operation of St. Mary's School at Sewanee for the year 1967-68. The regents of the university have confirmed the decision, Dr. Edward McCrady, vice-chancellor, has announced.