Fraternity-Testvériség, 1962 (40. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1962-09-01 / 9. szám
FRATERNITY 7 WHAT IS THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES? (In 1950, the National Council of Churches was formed by 29 Protestant bodies — representing the common spirit and purpose of its members. Today, 33 denominations and Eastern Orthodox communions — with nearly 40 million church-goers — are members of the Council, while 23 others participate in one or more of its 70 programs — Editor.) ★ ★ ★ What can the churches do better together than alone? Oppose the growing strength of the forces which challenge the Christian Gospel by “reinforcing each with the strength of all”. So say the leaders of 33 Protestant and Eastern Orthodox communions and to this end they work together through the National Council of Churches which they themselves formed ten years ago. Contrary to widely held beliefs, the Council does not speak for the nearly 40 million churchgoers represented in the 33 member denominations, but it serves them in the fields of Christian education, foreign and home missions, overseas relief, evangelism, and in matters affecting spiritual, moral and social conditions under which the Church and its Christian believers must carry on. The Council is charged by the member denominations to develop and maintain more than 70 programs in these fields. Each program is directed by qualified staffs who are in turn under the supervision and guidance of inter-denominational committees having more than 5,000 members from the churches. Over-all authority over the Council is vested in its triennial General Assembly, which consists of 659 clergymen and 386 laymen appointed by member communions. Interim policy decisions are made by the General Board which meets three times a year. Member denominations are represented on the Board by 162 clergymen and 91 laymen. The Council has, in its short ten years, managed to build an impressive record of service to the churches and the country. For its work in “pointing up the differences between Christianity and Communism, and the unique values of the American way of life”, the N. C. C. in April, 1961, received the George Washington Honor Medal Award of the Freedom Foundation. The Council received the award, together with the ABC network, for a radio series of its Broadcasting and Film Commission entitled, “Christianity and Communism”. It was further honored by the American Heritage Foundation with a 1961 award for “outstanding citizenship”. Through its Division of Home Missions, the Council has provided “churches on wheels” for 250,000 migrant farm workers in 30 states. Designed to give migrants the protective benefits and warmth of a community life they otherwise lack, it offers a religious ministry, adult
