'Council Most Hopeful Means Of Church Unity’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31134, 10 August 1966, Page 14

'Council Most Hopeful Means Of Church Unity’

The World Council of Churches provided perhaps the most hopeful means of forming a united church, said the Rev. J. B. Meeking, who has just returned to Christchurch after completing a doctorate in divinity at Rome. Father Meeking said that the council, although considered a negotiating body, was an agent for theological adjustment and inter-church understanding. Father Meeking’s thesis dealt with the church in the technological age. Much of it was devoted to the work of the council.

After completing his examinations at St. Thomas’s University, Father Meeking did a post-graduate course at the Ecumenical Institute, Bossey, in Switzerland, and later studied at the independent theological faculty of the University of Geneva. Father Meeking had access to the council’s archives and [while in Geneva attended ses-

sions of annual committee meeting. He said the sessions gave him a real insight into the council. A trend he noted was that younger churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church, were given much consideration. Father Meeking said he was convinced that church leaders could not bring about unity. The council was in a much better position to do that. “The council is able to grow out of the restricting denominational groups,” he said. The council was also cooperating to implement working projects basic to the Christian faith. Father Meeking said that about two years ago, the Roman Catholic Church made a significant move towards establishing permanent relations with the council when the Joint Commission was established. Father Meeking also studied church architecture in Europe. He was impressed with many new churches being built. Some were “delightful” combinations of functional and contemporary design. Until the end of this year. Father Meeking will fill a temporary post in the Kaiapoi parish.