THE CHRISTIAN WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26233, 17 August 1946, Page 3

THE CHRISTIAN WORLD

NEWS OF THE CHURCHES By Oikumene The report of the section on the churches and world order at the recent conference of the Federal Council of Churches in the United Sthtes is said by American churchmen to be the most important pronouncement ever made by that great co-operation of 25 communions with 27,000.000 members. The committee faced the almost universally confessed fact that neither education alone, nor science, nor government has the desperately needed answers. The statements of the highest authorities in education, science and government call for the application of spiritual knowledge and the release of spiritual power. “ If. therefore,” asserted John Foster Dulles, “ the United Nations Organisation is to be galvanised into a positive and unifying force, the spiritual and intellectual power must, above all. be supplied.” The Chaplains’ Report

Chaplains who shared life with the men of the forces and represented the Church undenominationally to all the members of their units had an unusual opportunity to know the thinking of a cross section of New Zealand’s manhood. The National Council of Churches arranged conferences in the main centres to which as many chaplains as possible were gathered. The aim was to get a consensus of opinion on religious matters. In the form of a composite interview the chaplains’ answers would read as follows: “What was the general attitude of the men towards Christianity? ” ‘ . “ New Zealanders are basically friendly to Christianity. For example, they want Christianity to win in any argument with an opposing set of ideas. The men could not discuss economic or political questions for long without questions of right and wrong arising and how to decide what is right. A guess is that from 50 per cent, to 70 per cent, have a hunger for religion and respond to it when it is put before them in a way they can understand. There is more Christianity in the community than we usually allow for.” “Did you find any serious'attempt to live by Christian standards? ”

“Most New Zealanders feel that the Christian standard is too. high for them and resent any claim to dictate a moral standard. When the Church speaks of the power of divine grace to help a man in his struggle, _ the thought was irrelevant to most soldiers. On the other hand, under battle conditions and in other times of stress the power of religion was often very real, and in some cases the reality thus experienced remained as an abiding ■ influence. Whenever the need is big enough it uncovers the same humanity.” “ How did the men respond to organised religious services? ” “Many felt quite out of touch with set forms of worship because they had not become accustomed to looking beyon'd the form to the object of worship. Cairo Cathedral and the Presbyterian Church in Cairo were crowded every Sunday and it was necessary to hold two evening services each week.” “ Did you find your nosition as part of the whole Army ‘ set-up ’ a help or a hindrance in your work?” “Life in the Army is a unity and organised religion is part of that unity. The padre has a very different task from the minister at home, where the Church represents only the people who belong to it. It was the rigmarole of church parades that men objected to, rather than the church service. Such services were not worship in the full sense but gave a chance to talk to the men as a whole. The greatest single obstacle in presenting the Christian faith was the divisions within Christianity. The chaplain s work was made easier because he was an undoubted part of the community he served, he usually represented to the men the whole Church and he had a responsibility for everyone—believer or unbeliever alike. Moreover, he was in vital contact with the men in the daily routine, and shared life to an extent impossible in a congregation in the homeland.”

“Would you say that the men as a whole have returned less or more disposed to take their places in Church life? ” A ' “ The contrast must not be forgotten between the fellowship of men engaged in an arduous and dangerous enterprise and the conditions in the average congregation. It will be difficult for some to find the same strong bond of religious association that they have experienced overseas. There is, however, in a well-integrated congregation, a family spirit which is an advantage the Army could not offer. A considerable number of the men have already linked themselves with churches and more may be expected to do so when they have had time to settle down. A powerful influence was made on large numbers of men by the direct evidence which they encountered of the value of Christian missions.” In Various Lands Pastor Martin Niemoller has urged the Church in Germany to guard against committing itself to any particular political party . . . Dr H. Kraemer has said that the invitation from the new labour party in Holland to the Church to speak out on national problems represents "a victory-for the Church, but also a responsibility Persons in all walks of life are looking to the Church to speak not of generalities that touch nobody, but to speak concretely about problems of national life.” . . . Bishop Berggrav of Oslo, leader of the Norwegian Lutheran Church, has stated that although denominational emphasis is increasing in the world, the prospects for interfaith co-operation have improved. . . . Reviving a custom of more than 400 years ago, the Reformed Church of France is using the theatre as a means of spreading the gospel.