Magyar Egyház, 1964 (43. évfolyam, 3-9. szám)
1964-07-01 / 7. szám
10 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ munion on the night of August 13 the program was packed with plenary meetings, study sections, standing committee meetings and drafting sessions. Delegates broke into four sections to work on statements dealing with special aspects of the Council theme: “Come Creator Spirit!”. “The Remaking of Man,” “The Renewal of Worship and Witness,” “The Calling of the Churches Together,” and “The Redemption of the World” were the section topics. About a third of the delegates were also tapped for service on standing committees dealing with ecumenical policy, finance, information, minority churches and religious liberty, Roman Catholicism, theology, women’s work and youth. Out of these study sections and standing committees came the reports and recommendations that formed the backbone of the work of the 19th General Council. In consideration of the Alliance’s future program and of the relationship between the Alliance and the World Council of Churches and Christian unity, the Council made it clear that Reformed Christians would like to go out of existence as a separate organizational entity. The often expressed dream was that of taking with them into a church which would unite all Christians those treasured elements of Christian discipleship inherited from the Reformation. It was agreed that the Alliance would only do those things which cannot be done together in the context of the wider ecumenical movement. Strong cooperation would be continued with the World Council in such areas as inter-church aid, study, and the search for increased rights for minority churches. “We recognize ... that there is only one Church . .. and the present disunited state of the Church is sinful,” said the report on “The Calling of the Churches Together.” Moreover “the unity of the Church of Jesus Christ must be expressed in each place in which Christians live and work. The separate existence of divided denominations in one city, town or village” hinders misson and limits the understanding of the Gospel. “To be complacent in the face of this situation is a sin.” To help Reformed and Presbyterian people understand the heritage of Calvin and Zwingli that creates their ecumenicity, the 19th General Council approved a program of basic research and study into the foundations of their faith. They may even create a “foundation” — an organization — for “initiating, coordinating, and supporting worthwhile scholarly projects” in Reformation studies. The publication and translation of unpublished Calvin materials will continue and be extended. The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (delegates voted to emphasize the use of the term “Reformed” rather than the term “Presbyterian” on the ground that the historic faith is more important than organizational structure) welcomed the “new relationships of goodwill” in dealings with Rome, and declared its gratitude for the new climate in Protestant-Roman Catholic relations and “for signs of renewal within the Roman Catholic Church.” It called for new efforts at all levels in the developing dialogue with Roman Catholicism. “We must realize that there is a real element of risk in such encounter” said the report on Roman Catholicism, “for it would be no service to the cause of unity to ignore or lightly put aside the very great differences that still exist.. .” It was also pointed out that Protestants who ask searching questions of Roman ideas and practices must be ready for the same kind of spotlight to be turned on them. On the concluding day of the Council, the delegation unanimously elected the Rev. Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Niesel, Moderator of the Reformierte Bund of Germany, as President of the World Alliance for the next five years until the 20th General Council. With the singing of “Now thank we all our God” the final communion service televised from the modernistic interior of the Frankfurt Paulskirche, the 19th General Council came to an end. “The work of the 19th General Council has just begun,” declared Pastor Jacques Marchand of the Reformed Church of France, after adjournment. “The Council itself can be described as a tremendous success, but its real achievements will be measured by the response of Churches, congregations, and individual Christians to the recommendations and to the approved programs.” “Come, Creator Spirit!” was only a theme for a meeting, even though it was a meeting that accomplished a great deal and at times approached greatness. The Holy Spirit moved through the meeting at Frankfurt, drawing men closer, bringing new insights, calling for new devotion to discipleship. But “Come, Creator Spirit!” is also a prayer which can be answered only where men worship and work. Making that fact plain, and helping all Christians devoutly to seek that divine presence, was the goal, and the achievement of Frankfurt 1964. (The above article is based on the special account written for Presbyterian Life by James E. Andrews, a member of the Press team at Frankfurt, and is used here by permission.) Dr. Niesel, the newly elected president of the World Alliance and Bishop Dr. Beky. ELDER S' CONFERENCE jjj jointly sponsored by the EASTERN AND NEW YORK CLASSES will take place in our church in BETHLEHEM, PA., Sunday, October 26 beginning at 2 P.M. jjj Details of the program in English and Hun- jjj jjj garian will be published later. Elders of all the jjj jjj constituent congregations should plan to at- jjj jjj tend. jjj
