News Briefs
Diocesan Press Service. November 2, 1964 [XXVI-10]
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
What's in a name ? Enough to become the subject of considerable discussion and debate during the St. Louis Convention.
Since 1789, the American Episcopal Church's legal title has been "the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. " The issue has been raised, however, whether the Church is inappropriately labeled "Protestant."
Clerical and lay representatives of the Church ended debate on the matter by finding a way to keep the name as it has been since the beginning but accept the other name (Episcopal Church) as legal as well as common usage.
The text of the Preamble, as adopted by the Convention reads:
"The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, otherwise known as the Episcopal Church (which name is hereby recognized as also designating the Church) is a constituent member of the Anglican Communion, a Fellowship within the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, of those duly constituted dioceses, provinces, and regional Churches in communion with the See of Canterbury, upholding and propagating the historic Faith and Order as set forth in the Book of Common Prayer. This Constitution, adopted in General Convention in Philadelphia in October, 1789, as amended in subsequent General Conventions, sets forth the basic Articles for the government of this Church, and of its overseas missionary jurisdictions."
In order to add this preamble to the Church's Constitution and Canons, the House of Bishops concurred with the suggestions. The matter, because it involves a Constitutional change, must also receive favorable action by the 1967 General Convention.
With this favorable action, the preamble will be affixed to the Constitution and Canons of the Church, marking the first time in its 175-year-old history that it has had a preamble.
KNEEL-IN FOR SERVICE
Sunday, Oct. 18, in St. Louis found some 400 Episcopalians kneeling in at Christ Church Cathedral. However most of them did not realize that this was what they were doing.
Because of the busy General Convention schedule, a 7 a.m. celebration of Holy Communion was scheduled but not one at 8 a. m. But across this land 8 a.m. is the apparent hour - that's when these 400 knelt and waited. The Cathedral staff rose to the occasion and there was an 8 a.m. celebration.
ONE ECUMENICAL COMMISSION
The 61st General Convention has enabled the Episcopal Church to develop a unified, comprehensive policy on relations with other churches by approving the formation of one ecumenical commission to replace the three commissions which formerly dealt with matters of Christian Unity.
The new Joint Commission on Ecumenical Relations will consist of 10 bishops, 10 priests and 10 lay persons and will replace the Joint Commission on Ecumenical Relations, the Joint Commission on Cooperation with Eastern and Old Catholic Churches and the Joint Commission on Approaches to Unity.
The responsibilities of the new commission include relations with inter-church organizations; with the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches and the Ancient Eastern Churches; with other parts of the Anglican Communion and the Wider Episcopal Fellowship; and with consultations on and approaches to Christian unity.