ECUMENICAL JOURNALISM—The Christian Century began the new year with a shorter page (formerly 12 inches, now 11) and a broader subtitle (formerly “an undenominational weekly,” now “an ecumenical weekly”). Commonweal, Roman Catholic lay journal, introduced a monthly column by Presbyterian theologian Robert McAfee Brown. Our Sunday Visitor, another Catholic weekly, featured an article on church financing by National Council of Churches executive T. K. Thompson, a Congregational Christian minister. Meanwhile, the Christian Herald for January raised many an eyebrow with a full-page advertisement promoting contraceptives. The Lutheran, most timely of the denominational news magazines, went from a weekly to a biweekly in a publications merger of the newly-formed Lutheran Church in America, which began functioning formally with the start of the new year.
PROTESTANT PANORAMA—Only 28 per cent of new churches of major Protestant denominations are being built in the suburbs, according to a National Council of Churches survey. The discovery is contrary to a popular idea that most new Protestant churches appear in suburbs, according to Dr. Glen W. Trimble, who reported to the annual assembly of the NCC’s Division of Home Missions. He said the overall tendency is to build few churches but to have them serve larger constituencies.
The United Presbyterian Board of Christian Education is launching a campaign to find qualified Negro pastors and teachers. A board announcement disclosed that there is a shortage of Negro seminary graduates to replace those who retire or die and to fill needs of integrated churches.
The Christian Index, official publication of the Georgia Baptist Convention, declared war on gambling and published the names and addresses of 702 purchasers of federal tax stamps for coin-operated machines and 76 others who bought federal wagering tax stamps.
Judson College, a new four-year liberal arts school under Baptist auspices, will open in September at a campus in Elgin, Illinois. It will replace Northern Baptist College, which has been associated with Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. The seminary, now located in Chicago, is moving to the suburbs.
The General Assembly of the United Church of Northern India, at its fourteenth session in Kolhapur, unanimously endorsed a plan of union that would form the United Churches of North India and Pakistan. It was the strongest support yet given to the plan, which is running into opposition among other churches participating in the merger talks.
Methodist mission leaders report that Brasilia, ultra-modern capital of Brazil, now has four Methodist chapels, five other preaching points, and four Sunday schools in the city and suburbs.
Campus Crusade for Christ International began operations at Arrowhead Springs, new headquarters site in San Bernardino, California.
An American counterpart to the International Council of Christian Churches’ youth commission was organized in Chicago last month. Albert F. Gedraitis was elected national chairman.
Talks aimed at creating a new cooperative agency to succeed the National Lutheran Council get under way in Chicago this month. Seven representatives each have been named by Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and American Lutheran Church. Eight other smaller Lutheran bodies have been invited to dispatch representatives as well.
MISCELLANY—Ground will be broken soon for an interfaith “Spiritual Life Center” on the Washington, D. C., campus of Methodist-related American University. The $350,000 structure will feature altars for Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish services. It will be topped by a flame that will burn continually “symbolizing man’s belief in eternal life and eternal spiritual values.”
Christian Legal Society, a new organization offering fellowship for evangelical lawyers and a forum for discussion, stipulates that members must acknowledge the Bible as the inspired Word of God. The group also seeks to promote high standards of legal ethics and to encourage and aid deserving young students preparing for the legal profession. Gerrit P. Groen is first president.
A state study commission in Rhode Island recommended that parochial school students be furnished science, mathematics, and language textbooks on a loan basis, utilizing public funds.
PERSONALIA—Retired Methodist Bishop G. Bromley Oxnam underwent a rare brain operation last month to relieve Parkinson’s disease. The surgery involved pumping liquid oxygen into a section of the brain to freeze and destroy tissue that caused the palsy.
Two ordained ministers are among the top ten young men of 1962 chosen by the U. S. Junior Chamber of Commerce. They are the Rev. Robert W. Castle, Jr., 33-year-old pastor of St. John’s Protestant Episcopal Church in Jersey City, New Jersey, and Dr. Jim Turpin, a Methodist now in Hong Kong giving medical aid to Communist China refugees through Project Concern.
Dr. Everett S. Graffam was appointed executive director of Evangelical Foundation, parent organization of the Bible Study Hour on radio and Eternity magazine, both founded by the late Donald Grey Barnhouse.
Dr. James H. Landes, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls, Texas, was named president of Hardin-Simmons University (Southern Baptist).
Dr. Paul M. Limbert retired after 10 years as secretary general of the World Alliance of YMCAs, succeeded by Fredrik Franklin of Sweden.
Dr. Jerry Beavan, who more than any other man guided the public relations fortunes of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, resigned last month for personal reasons. Beavan’s most recent assignment was direction of the association’s British office.
In Minneapolis, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association announced appointment of George M. Wilson to the newly-created post of executive vice president and treasurer. Wilson formerly was secretary and treasurer.
Dr. Hunter B. Blakely retired as secretary of the Division of Higher Education, Board of Christian Education, Presbyterian Church in the U. S.
Dr. Alexander Mackie retired as president and director of Presbyterian Ministers’ Fund.
Charles H. Kellstadt, retired board chairman of Sears, Roebuck and Company, appointed chairman of the National Committee of Religious Leaders for Safety.
WORTH QUOTING—“Separation of church and state was never meant to separate our youth from God. This trend to extricate God and moral teachings from the school is a diabolical scheme and is bearing fruit in the deluge of juvenile delinquency which is overwhelming the nation.”—Evangelist Billy Graham, in a dinner address at the close of Youth for Christ’s Capital Teen Convention in Washington, D. C.
“The gravest error the preacher-prophet can make today in preaching the ‘good news’ of God is to assume that his proclamation is being heard in an atmosphere of Christian understanding and that what he is saying is accepted by his hearers as good news.”—Dr. Jesse Jai McNeil in The Preacher-Prophet in Mass Society.
Deaths
DR. LUDD M. SPIVEY, 76, president emeritus of Florida Southern College (Methodist); in West Palm Beach, Florida.
REV. GEORGE LIVINGSTON BAYARD, 90, Episcopal minister and retired chaplain credited as being the founding father of the General Commission on Chaplains and Armed Forces Personnel.
DR. ALPHEUS S. MOWBRAY, 103, retired Methodist minister and former district superintendent; in Belmar, New Jersey.
PROFESSOR KAROLY PROHEE, 88, called the “grand old man” of Lutheran theology in Hungary; in Sopron, Hungary.
