11110 New Series Vol . XXXVll No. 6 • Whole Series Vol. LXVll No. 2 • February 1977

3 Mission Memo 7 Editorials 8 China: Time of Transition Joyce Hamlin 14 China and Christianity: Some Reflections Charles C. West 17 " Saving" Neighborhoods in Salt Lake City Connie Myer 21 Seattle: "All the Joys, Some of the Problems" Charley Lerrigo 26 Ham Sok Hon: Witness to the Crucifixion Jim Stentzel 28 Women Throw Themselves into the Brier Patch Jeannie Fields 33 Directions in National Mission-2: Urban Investments and " Redlining" Frank White 37 The Ungreening of Elaine Woodworth Elaine Woodworth 40 Letters from Overseas 43 Books 44 Letters 46 The Moving Finger Writes

COVER Downtown Seattle from Pl ymouth Congregational Church Charley Lerrigo Photograph

Editor, Arthur J. Moore; Managing Editor, Charles E. Brewster Associate Editor, Ellen Clark; Art Director, Roger C. Sadler Designer, Karen Tureck; Administrative Assistant, Florence J. Mitchell

475 Riverside Drive, New York, New York 10027 Published Monthly (bimonthly, July-August) by the Board of Clobal Ministries of the United Methodist Church, Education and Cultivation Division, in association with the United Presby­ terian Church, USA .

Second-class Mail Privileges Authorized at New York, N.Y. Additional Entry at Nashville, Tennessee. Copyright 1977 by Board of Clobal Ministries of the United Methodist Church. No part of New World Outlook may be reproduced in any form without written permission from Editors. Printed in U.S.A.

Subscriptions in the United States and Possessions, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica , Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay: One year $4.00 (combination with response, $7 .00). Single copies 50 cents. Canada: one year $4.25 (combination $8.00). All other foreign countries: One year $5.00 (combination $9.00).

Report any change of address directly to New World Outlook rather than to the Post Cffice. With your new address be sure to send also the old address, enclosing if possible an address label from a recent copy. A request for change of address must reach us at least thirty days before the date of issue with which it is to take effect.

New World Outlook editorials and unsigned articles reflect the views of the editors and signed articles the views of the authors only.

PHOTO CREDITS P. 8, Three Li ons ; Pp. 11 , 12, Eugene Stockwell, NCC ; P. 13, B. David Williams, Jr. ; Pp. 18, 19, 20, Connie Myer; Pp. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, Charley Lerrigo ; Pp. 26, 27, Jim Stentzel ; Pp. 28, 30, 31, 32, Jeannie Fields; Pp. 34, 35, John Goodwin, UMC ; P. 37, Archie Hamilton ; P. 38, RN S; P. 42, Charles .Harpe r. NISSIONNENO News and Analysis of Developments in Christian Mission

February, 1977

Saudi Arabia. Three denominations and the Office of International Congrega­ tions and Lay Ministry of the National Council of Churches have joined in pro­ viding funds for a Christian fellowship of expatriates in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. More than 20,000 Americans currently live in the oil-rich desert kinqdom in the Middle East, working either in the defense or oil businesses. Dudley Woodbury, a United Presbyterian missionary associate, will work with the Christian Fel 1ow­ ship group, both conducting meetings and serving as a counselor. Despite high salaries, many Americans reportedly have difficulty adjusting to l i fe i n the strict Muslim society undergoing rapid modernization and great, new wealth. The Ri yadh group joins other Christian fellowships in Saudi Arabia . including Jidda (served by a Southern Baptist worker) and the D'hahran oil fields. Supporting the new ninistry are grants of $4,000 by the United Presbyterian Church in the llSA, $2,000 from the World Division of the UMC, and $1,000 each from the Presby­ terian Church US and the NCC.

UMCOR. 1976 was the most profitable year in the 36-year history of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, with receipts totaling $9,319,000. This figure, a million dollars more than that for 1975, included two million dollars from the One Great Hour of Sharing offering. These figures were announced at a special one-day meeting of UMCOR in January· at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., prior to an inspection tour of work in Haiti . At that meeting, the agency members approved 34 special grants for 1977 totaling $957,518, more than half of them new projects, and okayed four emergency relief grants total i ng $33,000. In­ cluded were aid to Haitian refugees in Miami, relief and rehabilitation in Lebanon, a village we l l-drilling scheme in India, and a farmers' co-op in Uru­ guay. The Wyoming Conference informed UMCOR that it was returning over fifteen thousand dollars of funds left over after aiding victims of the 1972 Hurricane Agnes.

Execution. Seventeen religious leaders, including three UMC bishops and a staff executive, took part in an all-night prayer vigil at Point-of-the-Mountain, Utah, on the night before the execution of Gary Mark Gilmore. The vigil, to protest the resumption of capital punishment in the United States, disbanded at the news of Gilmore's death. In a statement William P. Thompson, president of the NCC, and Claire Randall, general secretary, said that they were deeply con­ cerned 11 that for the first time in nearly ten years an execution has taken place in this country 11 and pointed out that the Council and many of its 30 mem­ ber churches have consistently opposed the death penalty and urged that 11 when­ ever and wherever an execution may be scheduled, there shall be a day of protest and mourning by church people to express sorrow and alarm at this back­ ward step for our nation, and to renew our beiief in the sanctity of human life." Bishops A. James Armstrong, Jack M. Tuell, and Melvin E. Wheatley, Jr., and Rev. John P. Adams, of the Board of Church and Society, were the UMC participants.

Zaire. The government of Zaire has returned administration of primary and secondary schools to the churches. They were nationa1ized in 1974. Invo1ved are over three mi11ion students, eighty thousand teacher~ and a budget averag­ ing about twenty per cent of the total national budget. Lega1 representatives of the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Kimbanguist churches have been meeting with the Department of Education to work out detai1s of the decision. The President of the Church of Christ of Zaire, Rev. T. Boke1ea1e, has announced that the churches wi11 start recruiting personne1 for the schools. They wi11 be recruited first within Zaire but also from abroad, if necessary. He denied that the schoo1s had been returned to church administration for economic reasons and attributed the reversal to "a dec1ine of morals and discip1ine in educational institutions. 11

MozambiSue. The government of Mozambique has granted a charter to the reorgan­ ized Bi le Society . Under the Portuguese regime, the Society was not 1ega11y recognized but functioned as the Bible House, in the name of its genera1 secre­ tary. The new directors are the general secretary of the Christian Council of Mozambique, the Ang1ican bishop, and a Presbyterian minister who is on the staff of the Bible Society. The supp1y of Bib1es and Testaments in Mozambique is nearly exhausted and the Society is seeking permission to print or import new stocks. No definitive reply has yet been received; paper is very scarce and top priority has been given to textbooks and school manuals. In addition, the government has been raising questions about a previous authorization by the Society to have 200,000 New Testaments printed in South Africa .

Vietnam. An appeal to the Vietnam government by a number of U.S. anti-war activists has led to controversy both over the appeal and the manner in which it was made public. The appeal, urging the Vietnam government to release po­ litica1 prisoners and accept an impartial inquiry into charges of vio1ations of human rights, was made public after it was rejected by the Vietnamese observer at the United Nations. It was signed by more than ninety opponents of the Viet­ nam War, inc1uding Joan Baez, Roger Baldwin, Dorothy Day and several Roman Catho1ic bishops. At a subsequent press conference, two of the signers, Father Daniel Berrigan and his brother Phi1ip, joined with other activists such as Don Luce to charge that the statement was made pub1ic 11 in an irresponsib1e manner" and to assert that 11 we have received new materials from Vietnam that give us confidence that the new government is deep1y concerned about human rights in their country and is working hard in the midst of post-war devastation to guar­ antee those rights. 11

I11egal Aliens. A Mexican Methodist bishop has urged churches in Mexico and the U.S. to co11oborate in he1ping i11ega1 a1iens with their problems. Bishop Joel Mora Pena, of the Methodist Church in Northern Mexico, said that "It is clear that they need help desperately. But we have to lament that in this respect the church has not taken an active role .... I believe the time is ripe for the Church to assume its responsibility ... especially in the border zone, where both the United Methodist Church and the Mexican Methodist Church could come together in a very close relationship to alleviate the needs, to give the proper orientation and direction these uprooted people need. 11 In another matter, Bishop Mora Pena suggested that a ministerial exchange program between his church and the UMC would improve re 1at ionshi ps . "There is a big Latin American population in the U.S. that finds it very difficult to adapt itself to the norms of the U.S. people or the U.S . church."

Women Clergy . The Rockefeller Family Fund has made a $20,000 grant to the Boston Theological Institute for a two-year program to develop strategies for the placement of women in parish ministries. Centered in the geographical area of Massachusetts, the program will work with four denominations: American Bap­ tists, AME, UMC, and the United Church of Christ. It will be administered by the Women's Theological Coalition of BTI; Rev. Nurjhan Govan, an AME minister, will serve as placement consultant .... The Episcopal Church's ordination of wo­ men priests took on a new complication in January when Bishop Paul Moore, Jr. , of New York ordained to the priesthood Rev. Ellen Marie Barrett, an acknowledged lesbian. In response to objections, Bishop Moore said that "many persons with homosexual tendencies are presently in the ordained ministry. Ellen Barrett's candor in this regard is not considered to be a barrier to ordination. She is highly qualified intellectually, morally and spiritually to be a priest."

Deaths. UM Bishop R.D. Joshi, head of the Bombay, India, area since 1969, died Dec. 26 of a heart attack at age 62 . He was a former educator and district superintendent. His area is being temporarily divided among his three colleagues . ... Lutheran Bishop Hanns Lilje, former president of the Lutheran World Federa­ tion and a former president of the World Council of Churches, died in Hanover, West Germany, Jan. 4 of a heart attack. He was 77. Jailed by the Nazis, he was influential in rebuilding the Lutheran Church in West Germany after World War II .... Rev . Edward T. Wayland, former editor of The Arkansas Methodist and The Louisiana Methodist and a pastor and district superintendent, died Jan. 4 of a heart attack. He was 91. He was the father of Ewing T. Wayland, general treasurer of UMC .... Rev. Maurice L. Winn, a member of BGM's National Division Finance and Field Service staff sfnce 1969, died Jan. 3 of a respiratory ill­ ness. He was 56.

India. The Central Conference of The Methodist Church in Southern Asia voted 1n December to seek a new status as an affiliated autonomous church by 1980. For a number of years, the MCSA has been embroiled in legal and other disputes as to whether it should join the Church of North India or remain a part of UMC. In its action, the Conference set up a series of steps to be taken before the 1980 General Conference including the drafting of a statement of faith, votes on the plan by the annual conferences and consultations with the UMC on ques­ tions of personnel, finance, property and an endowment for episcopal support ... . For its 1976-80 quadrennial program, MCSA laid emphasis on family planning and birth control, comprehensive human development dealing with hunger, social and economic justice (including the status and role of women), and ministry in .rura 1 vi 11 ages. In Kerala i n south India, shortly before Prime Minister Indira Gandhi an­ nou nced easing of emergency restrictions and plans for March elections, a group of clergy from a number of churches formed a fellowship for the protection of human ri ghts in India . They said that "wherever human rights are suppressed or violated by the government , churches have a duty to work in the defense of human rights, especially of the oppressed. The church's fear and inability to take a bold stance in the face of violation of human rights amounts to failure M in its mission ", according to the group, and the tendency of churches to go on Tl reco rd in support of the government "amounts to idolatry." Those attending ' were from the Church of South India, the Mar Thoma Church, the Syrian Orthodox, Jacobite Syrian, Chaldean Syrian and Roman Catholic Churches.

Jews. The world Jewish population is estimated at about fourteen million, of whom nearly six million live in the U.S. The figure, 14,145,000, is a drop of 86,000 from last year . The figures appear in the 1977 American Jewish Year Book and were compiled by Leon Shapiro, a faculty member at Rutgers University. After the U.S. figures of 5,845,000, countries with the largest number of Jews i nclude Israel (2,953,000), the Soviet Union (2,680,000), France (550,000), Great Britain (410,000), Canada (305,000) and Argentina (300,000). In the U.S., Jews comprise 2.7 per cent of the population.

South Africa Loans. Stockholder resolutions aimed at stopping loans to the D South African government have been filed with five major U.S. banks by fifteen a religious groups. The action marks the first time that church investors have E taken banks to task for their South African loans, even though in the late 1960s church groups were instrumental in stopping the renewal of a line of cred­ it to the South African Ministry of Finance. The banks involved in the actions are Citicorp, Continental Illinois Corporation, First Chicago Corporation, Manu­ facturers Hanover Trust and Morgan Guaranty Trust Company. The church groups own nearly ten million dollars in bank stocks . Groups involved in filing the actions were UMC (World Division, BGM), UPUSA , UPUS, the Episcopal Church, Lutheran Church in America, United Church of Christ, Union Theological Seminary, and eight Roman Cathol ic orders and institutions.

NAACP. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has re­ turned a $25,000 loan made to the organization by the United Presbyterian Church in the USA last September . The loan was one of a number made by groups and individuals when the NAACP was required to post a bond of $1 .6 million against a court judgment. A subsequent ruling eased that financial burden . The loan, approved by the executive committee of the denomination's General Assembly Mis­ sion Council, was not finally required and was returned with a letter of thanks by Roy Wilkins , NAACP Secretary.

Aging. The National Interfaith Coalition on Aging is planning a Conference on Sp iritual Well Being April 12-14 in Atlanta. Martin Luther King, Sr., will be t he keynote spea ker. The Coalition is calling for scholarly papers, sermons and essays from pe rsons active in the fields of gerontology and religion. Addi­ tional i nformat ion and forms are available from Betty J . Letzig, Room 318, 475 Riv erside Drive ; N. Y. 10027 or from NICA, 298 S. Hull St., Athens, Ga. 30601. ~ ~DITORIALS bJ t MANIFESTINC CHRIST party line or ideology. But it is part of Clues may in fact be hidden in the TODAY our function as Christians to see that we old formulations, buried in the words The season of Epiphany, coming as it do not obscure the reality of Christ to themselves. Epiphany-the manifesta­ does between Christmas and Lent, is one those outside the community of faith. tion to the Gentiles. What a phrase! Yet that tends to get slighted in the con­ By definition, this means moving be­ if we go back to the roots of thos~ temporary church scene. Partially, that yond past formulations into expressions words, how revealing. For epiphany is because the great social and com- more shaped to the present reality. means appearance, to see and to know, ~ mercial emphasis on Christmas tends to Let us take a couple of current ex­ and the other words combine the ele­ amples. One is the currently-argued ments of that seeing. Gentile originally 11 leave most people both emotionally and financially exhausted. This, coupled with question of minority and sexual repre­ meant people of the same stock, a cor­ the midwinter doldrums, leads to a time sentation on church bodies. (Known porate and even ethnic reality, whereas of recuperation and turning inward, a positively as "affirmative action pro­ manifestation (loveliest of all ) meant to sort of premature Lent. grams"; pejoratively as "quotas." ) This seize by the hand. There is perhaps another and less process has most recently come under For, ultimately, it is God who is mani­ palatable reason for our neglect. Epiph­ attack by Paul A. Mickey and Robert L. fest to us; who seizes us by the hand. any, from its association with the three Wilson in their new book, What New All that we do is make that seizing a kings, is the season of Christ's manifes­ Creation?, dealing with church restruc­ little easier. Which is no small task. tation to the Gentiles and thus, histor­ ture. (The book in its entirety will be ically, the missionary season. re~ewed in an upcoming issue. ) They HELLO, MOTHER­ These are terms that make us a bit claim that the results of the emphasis HELLO, FATHER nervous today. Even the words-"epiph­ on inclusive representation have been to downgrade competence, transfer pri­ To fans of the late Allen Sherman any," "manifestation," "missionary"­ the above words are immediately recog~ have an antique and curious ring about mary loyalty from the employing agency to the employee's group, and to cause nizable as a slightly genteel spelling of them. Those of us associated with the his ode to summer camp-Camp Gra­ missionary enterprise know the histori­ the agency to give priority to internal affairs. nada, to be exact. We have borrowed cal baggage that word carries and how them as a lighthearted salute to what we the responses it summons up in people We think that they are wrong on all ?ou'?ts. All of those things are possible, regard as a contemporary epiphany-the are so often automatic that many people ordination of women by the Protestant have despaired of refurbishing and re­ if simple mechanics is all that is in­ volved. But it is more plausible, if less Episcopal Church. vivifying that honorable word. We discreetly (and untypically ) held If that is so, who would even want to cynical, to regard this emphasis as a healthy corrective to both the excessive our editorial tongue while the Episco­ talk about words like "epiphany" and palians debated this subject on the not "manifestation"? And yet we must, be­ individualism and clublike atmosphere of the past and to show the church, as very sound theological grounds that it cause the question of how Christ is seen was their business and best not to inter­ most clearly is always inescapable and the Body of Christ, reflecting its uni­ I versality and its affection for diverse fere in other people's business. Now that one that has been a great source of con­ the vote has been taken and the fi rst flict in the last decade. peoples, not simply individuals. Again, the question of the best way canonically correct priests have been or­ Colin Morris, president of the British dained, we would like to congratulate Methodist Church, said recently that now to make Christ known to other peoples and other cultures has caused everyone concerned. It seems to us that "we appear to be emerging from that the Episcopal Church, for all its much ghastly period of bloodletting between heated debate between conservatives who charge the church agencies with advertised conservatism on many matters radicals and traditionalists-a spectacle and its self-proclaimed tendency to shy as unedifying as a punch-up between evading their responsibilities in a con­ centration on social questions and lib­ away from issues, comported itself with occupants of a leaky lifeboat in shark­ dignity and directness. infested seas." Acknowledging that radi­ erals or radicals who worry about a To say this is in no way to denigrate cals and conservatives are still "at odds " return to an individualism which re­ he affirmed that "the result is creati~e duces Christianity to a soothing salve. or make light of those honest opponents tension rather than loveless hostility." Part of Dr. Morris's "creative tension" of women's ordination whose concern That observation seems true enough, is that both sides can now begin to ask with tradition and relationships with and let us all thank God even though themselves how far the other one is other Catholic and Orthodox churches the conflict was perhaps not so sterile as right in its accusations. Liberals can made them see this as a deplorable de­ he makes it out to have been. agree with Hans Kung that "if the con­ cision. We respect them but we do think We must be careful, however, not to servatives of the Church are not always that they are wrong and we hope in lapse into the opposite error of agreeing right with their answers, they are how­ time that they will com to realize thi . simply for the sake of agreement. ever very often right with their ques­ In the meantime, how plendid to ha e That might work well enough for be­ tions." Conservatives may not care for these new priests among us, to how us ~1 lievers. The question here is not one that formulation but they can reverse it more of the wonder of God and his love : merely of doctrinal purity to enforce a and take it equally to heart. for all men and women. TIME OF TRANSITION

A look at revolution and religion in Post-Mao China JOYCE HAMLIN

t was after another magnifi­ wall surrounding the hotel com­ port Chairman Hua, an d, negatively, cent meal in Nanking, the pound. The streets were jammed to denounce the " four pests." In People's Republic of China, on with people. Not knowing what to typical Chinese fas hion, everybody October 21 , a warm autumn expect, I was relieved to find them from primary age school children afternoon. I had gone to my in an exuberant holiday mood. on up, was involved in the political room hoping to get a short Large groups of factory workers, act. nap to help me keep up the heavy army cadres, neighborhood organi­ Despite the name calling and pace of morning, afternoon and zations and students paraded by. so me grotesque, even violent, char­ evening visits to communes, fac­ The format was the same. Each acterizations of the four showing tories, and schools. I lay down on group was headed by dozens of them being smashed by the fist of the bed and was· drifting off when large flags in bright reds, greens and the people and being run through the sound of drums, cymbals and yellows. Most groups had a truck by bayonets, the mood of the chanting voices woke me up. "This that carried the " band" of d rum­ demonstrations w e saw was never is it," I thought. Changes in the high­ mers and cymbalists. Large banners ugly. The dominant theme was that est level of Chinese leadership were with Chinese lettering indicated sup­ of affirming Hua Ku o-feng. The taking place and I was going to be port for Chairman Hua Kuo-feng people had a new leader who they in the middle of them. and denunciation of the " four believed would carry forward the I had been accepted as one of pests," Ch iang Ching, Wang Hung­ policies of their beloved Chairman 22 " national organization leaders" wen, Chang Chun-chiao, and Yao Mao; their proces s of succession of to make a three-week tour of China Wen-yuan. The label " four pests" leadership so fa r was w orking, de­ under the sponsorship of the U.S. has been neatly co-opted from the spite rumblings in the W est that for China People's Friendship Associa­ long-standing public health cam­ years had questioned w hether Ch ina tion. Leaving one month after Chair­ paign to rid China of the four pests might fall apart following Mao's man Mao's death, we knew we of bedbugs, flies, rats and mos­ death. would be in China at a unique time quitoes. The Ch inese demonstrators were in its history. Uncertain about how The losers in the power struggle friendly to the w esterners watching the " torch would be passed" in the to succeed Mao, the four were from the w al l. Pa rad ing groups, in­ socialist society, we knew there members of the radical left wing of cluding the principal and children would be power struggles to decide the party who rose to power during from the high school we had visited who would succeed Mao Tse-tung. the Cultural Revolution of the that morning, w aved gaily to us. In Tokyo we heard of the arrest of 1960's. Between them they basically Many gave us smal l banners to wave Mao's widow, Chiang Ching, along controlled the mass media, includ­ and join in the celebration. ing two major news journals, tele­ with that of three other persons. We Spontaneous Demonstrations? also knew that the little-known vision, and the arts, a powerful figure, Hua Kuo-feng, had been ap­ propaganda tool in China. Were the mass demonst rations of pointed the new chairman of the The four, apparently heady with support " spontaneous? " Yes and no. Central Committee of the Commu­ their influence during the last dec­ No, they were no more spontaneous nist Party. ade, had tried to head off Mao's than an inaugural parade. They But after nine days in China not choice of the moderate agricultural w ere ca refully and rapidly planned, one spokesperson, in all the brief­ expert Hua Kuo-feng as his succes­ with the w ord coming from the ings we had had, had mentioned his sor. They were being accused of Central Committee of the Party and name. Our questions to the Chinese, trying to split the party into factions, fi ltering dow n the highly orga nized particularly on Madame Mao's ar­ forwarding their personal careers ladder of provincial , municipal, dis­ rest, were politely deflected. " The instead of serving the people and trict and loca l Revolu tionary Com­ time for discussion is not ripe," we using their influence on the media mittees (the administrative units of were told. to discredit Chou En-lai after his fa ctories, sc hools, hospitals, etc.) . death and trying to usurp power Yes, they were spontaneous in Overtaken by Events during Mao's last days. The Chinese that the people seemed sincerely Now events were overtaking us. people were told of these accusa­ supportive of the new leader of their I grabbed my camera, ran down the tions in large character posters country. The sequence of events hotel driveway and climbed to a which plastered the walls of the seemed to be this : Chairman Mao comfortable perch on top of the city. d ied September 9. Approxi mately Mobilizing the People one month later, following the offi­ She is secretary for Legislative Affairs, cial period of mourning, the Cen­ Women's Division, United Methodist Now the people were being mo­ tral Committee announced its ap­ Board of Global Ministries. bilized, on the positive side, to sup- pointment of Hua Kuo-fen g as its New World Outlook • February 1977 [ 63] 9 new chairman and as the chairman dom of information, to experience of its Military Commission, both of the Chinese events, so different the posts formerly held by Mao. The from our own cherished processes. next process was discussion of this What I had to resolve emotionally decision by the Chinese masses in and intellectually was, first, that in a their political groups organized in pluralistic world there is necessarily every school, factory and neighbor­ a wide variety of political processes hood in the country. We saw evi­ to decide on leadership. Secondly, dence of this in our visits where I felt it was unrealistic to expect that "The streets were blackboards, often bordered in black democracy be the norm, particularly jammed with people indicating mourning, were covered in a country like China that only 27 with messages from the students or years ago was emerging from a ... Large groups of employees indicating " support of feudal is tic system of government, the decision of the Central Com­ humiliated by 100 years of foreign factory workers, mittee appointing Hua Kuo-feng domination, and absolutely helpless army cadres, chairman." Next came the mass in dealing with the problems of mas­ demonstrations visibly expressing sive starvation, corruption, opium neighborhood that support and celebrating it, addiction, an 80 percent illiteracy along with the denunciation of the rate, lack of health care and all the organizations four for their role in trying to usurp other human problems of pre-libera­ and students power. tion China. Was it possible in those political The question that remains for the paraded by ... discussion groups to oppose Hua Chinese socialist government, just Kuo-feng and support the four? I past its 25th anniversary, is whether Each group was don't know. My feeling is that it it can remain on course, improve headed by dozens would be difficult, if not impossible, the life of its people who now have to stem the tide of group pressure the basic necessities but little more, of large flags supporting the government's de­ and whether succeeding generations, cision. Besides, salaries are figured further removed from the hardships In bright reds, on three factors : 1) political con­ of life before liberation, will con­ sciousness, 2) productivity, and 3) tinue to support the revolution. greens and yellows ..." seniority. So it seems that the pru­ What About the Church? dent worker is probably pretty in­ terested in finding out what " cor­ What about the Chinese church rect" political thinking would be on in all of this? How will the Chinese the matter and joining the band­ Christian be affected by the new wagon. leadership? The answer seems to be Nevertheless, a British trade con­ that the policies of Mao, as ex­ sultant and astute observer of the pressed in the revised constitution China scene for some twenty years, of 1975, will continue. That docu­ Roland Berger, pointed out that if ment states, " Citizens ... enjoy the the four had had a significant base freedom to believe in religion and of support among the Chinese peo­ freedom not to believe in religion ple that . this would have emerged. and to propagate atheism." The But one of the accusations against balance comes out on the side of them was that they became elitists atheism but the basic right to be­ and separated themselves from the lieve is protected. people. To date, to my knowledge, A conversation in Nanking with no mass support has emerged on former Anglican Bishop Ting Kuang­ their behalf. Heun and Mrs. Ting shed light on What is their fate? Could they be the situation of the church in China "liquidated?" It is possible. Never­ today. Present for the three-hour dis­ theless, the history of China's treat­ cussion were Margaret Flory, United ment of its deposed political leader­ Presbyterian ; Jane Leiper, National ship would not indicate this. Mao Council of Churches and former Tse-tung always advocated leaving missionary to China just before and people a way out. Re-education, not after liberation; Gene Stockwell, Na­ annihilation, has been the pattern. tional Council of Churches; Cush­ A trial for the four is about to begin ing Dolbeare, Quaker; Donald and time will tell the future of the Thorman, editor of the National Shanghai-based four. Catholic Reporter; Wallace Albert­ A Western Reaction son, a Sp iritualist minister; Esther It was not easy as a westerner, Gollobin, one of the tour leaders, committed to democracy and free- and myself. Since the Tings speak 10 (64] New World Outlook • February 1977 English, no interpreter was present. tians wanted to show their patriot­ every two or three weeks. After discussing the political sit­ ism and that they were with the " W e meet informally, w ithout uation, Mr. and Mrs. Ting responded Chinese people. This led to inde­ ritual, and share insi ghts and con­ to our questions regarding the pendence from the Western denom­ victions. A Quaker would feel at Chinese church. In order to be as inations and to the formation of the home in these services, I think." accurate as possible, their remarks Three-Self Movement (self-propa­ I w as surprised to learn that have been placed in quotes, taken ganda, self-support and self govern­ Christians still hold title to church from almost- verbatim notes of the ment). property and that it is tax exempt. conversation. " We now have a de-institutional­ The buildings are used by neighbor­ ized, post-denominational religion. hoods, municipalities etc. for such Some History For example, before Liberation, there purposes as nursery schools. Chris­ Mr. Ting began . " To understand were 38 Protestant churches in tians negotiate with the neighbor­ the present state of the church in Nanking and only 500 Christians! hoods regarding use of church China we must understand the role Since Nanking was the capital of the property, sometimes receiving fees of Christianity in China's past. The Kuomintang government of Chiang for its use. missionary movement as a sociologi­ Kai-shek, every denomination Further Questions cal and international phenomenon wanted to be here to have their say. was tied with the penetration of Members of the group, still fu ll of Ministry of the laity Western imperialism into China." questions and troubled by the am­ Defeated in a series of wars with " Today we have no clergy. It is bivalent emotions the China experi­ Western powers in the mid-1800's a ministry of the laity. It is difficult ence produces, pressed the Tings China suffered deep humiliations as to support full-time clergy. Also, as further. a nation. Through a series of " un­ members of a socialist society where Donald Thorman, a Roman Cath­ equal treaties" port cities were labor is highly valued we feel we olic, asked, " The church for years forced open to foreign powers. Mis­ should take part in labor and not has preached social justice. Still, in sionaries gained entrance to China separate ourselves from other labor­ Western society where the church this way and China, by nature hos­ ing Christians as well as from the is most predominant we have been tile to foreigners, was helpless to masses of the Chinese people. unable to put into practice the prevent it. Foreign economic and " Christianity in China is becom­ egalitarianism and supremacy of ser­ military might backed the mission­ ing a world view, dealing with ulti­ vice to others that the 'godless' aries' continued presence. "In this mate values, for those who want to Chinese society has accomplished. way individual missionaries became adhere to the Bible. We've left in­ How do you account for this?" the tools of Western aggression," stitutions and church buildings. Mr. Ting replied, " In the past, so­ Ting continued. " Chinese Christians Since Christians are laborers and ciety's intellectuals have put for­ are still trying to live this down. there is no special day of the week ward solutions to humanity's prob­ " After Liberation Chinese Chris- free, we meet in the evenings, once lems-industry, science, education Dr. Eugene Stockwell, head of the Division of Overseas Ministries of the National Council of Churches, and other members of the American team inspect wall posters in China.

"It was not easy as a westerner, committed to democracy and freedom of Information, to experience the Chinese events, so different from our own cherished processes." "The uppermost emotion of the Christian In China today Is a spirit of thanksgiving for the good things that have happened to our nation."

- Mrs. Ting Kuang Heun

-and the church has provided theological. We understand Chris­ Mixed Feelings limited social services in these areas. tians in the West are discussing the We had been with the Tings But in China the Communist Party 'theological implications of China.' three hours. It was time to leave. put its finger on the root causes of China has not created a new theo­ Many questions remained unan­ our problems-feudalism, imperial­ logical problem. It's part of under­ swered and mixed feelings were left ism (the main enemies) and bureau­ standing good th ings that happen unreso lved. This was true of the en ­ cratic ca pi ta lism. It awakened the outside of the church. The upper­ ti re China experience for me. My masses of the people, helped them most emotion of th e Christian in re sponse co ntinues to be a mix of see the cau se of their problem and China today is a spirit of thanksgiv­ admiration for the accomplishment unite to fi ght it. It was not a move­ ing for the good things that have of the Chinese people and for their ment of the intellectuals, but of the happened to our nation. attempts to reorient values toward masses . No social gospel has ever " We would like to keep separate service an d se lflessness coupled en visioned this. the context of the Christian faith w ith strong apprehension about its " Also, throughout history, Chris­ and the political situation to con­ tightly controll ed society and its em­ ti anity has always had to account tinue faith in Christ, the cross, the phas is on " correct" political think­ for th ings that are good, true, and resurrection. But we hesi tate to po­ ing above everything. beautiful which have not come from liticize those things." Chris ti an or 'Godly' influences. " Are you saying that reli gi on ha s Perh aps the simple advice of Mr. Christians haven 't credited the devil no place in economic or politica l and Mrs. Ting is as good as you can for these. They've appreciated these life?" someone asked . get-you j udge the value of a politi­ contributions in art, science, etc. In " No. But some today are trying cal or a theological system by its China this question of accounting to substitute Christianity for M arx­ fruits, primari ly expressed in the way for good things happening outside ism, or Marxism for Christian ity, or th e system treats human beings. of Christianity is occurring on a to mix them together. This is inap­ The Chinese socialist revolution is larger scale." propriate and leads to a Marxism just 27 years o ld, entering an im­ Mrs. Ting added, " We don't see unrecognizable to Marxists and .a portant historical period under God and China as antagonistic. We Christianity unrecognizable to Chris­ Ch airman Hua Kuo-feng. I can only thank God for what is happening tians. The key is to examine the sa lute it, wish the Chinese people here. Good th ings happen through fruits of each system . Theology is a well and join the Tings in thanking God, whether in His name or not." big enough area to work on by it­ God for the good things happening M r. Ting continued, " Christianity self. We don't need to make it the among them . • is not sociological and China is not servant of Marxis m or ca pitalism ." New World Outlook • February 1977 [67) 13 T IS understandable that west­ ern Christians, especially, should see in the Chinese revolution a call to the profoundest form of self-examination and re ­ I pentance. Christian mission­ aries in the nineteenth century brought the message of the saving power of Christ to the rest of the world mixed too much with the military, economic, scientific and cultural power of the societies out of which they came. They used un­ equal treaties to their advantage. CHll\IA They were sometimes not above tak­ ing part in coercion. But more im­ portant, being part of this revolu­ tionary force breaking up old cul­ tures-China was only one example Al\ID - they were for the most part un­ able to discern the promise of God for a new society. Having planted with the Gospel the seeds of a trans­ formed world they too often drew CHRISTIAl\llTY: back from and resisted the forces of change their message had inspired. The revolution was carried through by other forces working with other ideologies. China is the most power­ ful example. SOME Because this is so, metanoia­ continual examination and change of ourselves in response to the real­ ity and promise of Christ in the world-must always accompany our REFl..ECTIDl\IS mission. Our temptation is to make it the substitute for our mission. There is a strange new kind of pi­ CHARLES C. WEST etism abroad in the church today which somehow cannot really be­ lieve that God calls, forgives, and justifies the sinner, and which there­ fore is endlessly preoccupied with self-purging. We cannot go on any "A Christ above atheist culture mission, these pietists say, until we who cares only ior those parts oi human psyche that lie outside the common liie is iinally no more real than the Christ incognito oi an atheist Dr. West is professor of Christian ethics at Princeton Theological Seminary. He culture, deiined by its achievements." is a former missionary to China. This article is excerpted from an address given by Dr. West to the China panel of the National Council of Churches and us ed with permission. The complete ad­ dress has been reprinted in China Notes, publication of the NCC China Program. have turned our own so ci ety into a model of social justice, and our "There is a strange new kind church into a model of discipleship. We cannot proclaim Christ to others until what is wrong with us, socially oi pietism abroad in the church • • • and personally, is overcome. First we must seek acceptance from the endlessly preoccupied poor, the oppressed, or the revolu­ tionaries themselves on their terms. We must fit into their plans and with seli-purging." programs, and then, perhaps, our Christian faith will also become ac­ ceptable. found myself in conversation with leaders of" the church go through The problem with this is twofold. a Christian apologist for the regime this humiliation in a national meet­ First it is a self-centered withdrawal there. " Why," I asked him, " are you ing in Peking, was asked his reaction . from our clear responsibility in a not discriminating in your attitude? " My strongest impression," he re­ vain search for moral purity. This Granted that the socialist revolution plied, "is of the very small difference is all too easy for those of us who is a judgment on the wrongs of a between those men and ourselves. live in a powerful society and in feudal past and an instrument of We are all guilty of the things which large churches which are in no dan­ economic justice, why do you de­ they confessed. How is it possible to ger of being crushed, reformed or fend also the police state, the prison be really Chinese, and a Christian?" even very much impressed by our torture, the suppression of freedom, It is indeed not possible as long criticisms. We can go on forever in and the thousands of injustices as any earthly power, however rela­ these circumstances beating our col­ which it also brings?" " We Chris­ tively just its cause, defines the lective social and ecclesiastical tians are not in a position to criti­ terms of repentance and claims the breasts, deriving considerable satis­ cise," he replied. " We were too right to give absolution. By contrast faction from the fact that at least we closely identified with the evils of let me offer a third story of a differ­ are superior to the wrong we are the old society. We can only repent ent sort. It concerns a Christian in confessing. But this is a perverse by accepting the new order com­ East Germany-the GDR-impris­ form of self-righteousness. We are pletely, in which we are graciously oned essentially for the su ccess and called not to seek our own good­ allowed to continue to exist." the prophetic edge of his work for ness but to serve the reality of Christ Shift the scene to China. 1951 the church. The regimen in prison in all the ambiguities of the com­ was a year in which many Christians was typical of the time and place. mon life, including our complicity were writing confessions of their There was no physical torture, in imperialism, wealth and power. past complicity in imperialism, their though there was constant threat of In the second place this pietism selfish anti-people attitudes, and it. There was, however, psycho-phys­ seeks justification and forgiveness at their conversion. Often these con­ ical manipulation : interruption of the wrong address and ends up at fessions were written again and sleep and meal schedules, gruelling the mercy of new powers as human again before they were found by the interrogations around the clock as the old. Nowhere is this more authorities to be satisfactory. An without rest, threats, lies, accusa­ vividly illustrated than in the experi­ ugly dimension of many of them tions and the like, and behind it the ence of Christians with the Commu­ was the requirement that they de­ lurki ng prospect of disappearance nist group practice of criticism and nounce a friend and colleague in into the gulag archipelago. In these self-criticism. Let me give just three order to purge themselves. One conditions the game was to make examples. In Hungary in 1956 I young minister, after watching the him confess that his attitude and his activities were against the peo- ple and criminal in the eyes of the "It is so much easier people's state-which, to the end, he refused to do. One night, how­ ever, the interrogator thought he to iind the meaning oi history was making progress : " Admit it, Schulz, you' re a guilty in a human movement than to man." " Yes," came the reply, " I am a guilty man." endure the tension oijudgment " Ah, that's better," said the cop. " In fact," the prisoner con ti nued, and grace which always exists " I have been so often unfaithful, un­ loving and unjust to God and to so many people, that unless Christ's between the Divine purpose forgiveness were w ith me at every moment, I wouldn't be able to face you or anyone else." and human power." This is what repentance ought to New World Outlook • Februuy 1977 [69] 15 be about. It is the servant of witness, fying if, instea d of having to work human nature needs it. Idealistic and it liberates us from every human with the m iss ion of an imperfect Marxists w ill lament the fa ct and try power. church, we ca n fi nd in M arxist the­ to overcome it w ith new revolution­ It is a Christian discipline to in­ ory and Maoist practi ce th e true ex­ ary fe rvor. Reali sti c functionaries quire into the spiritual dynami cs of pression for our time of Christ's w ill use it as a sca pegoat and priv­ the Chinese communist movement, savi ng purpose! ate ly apprec iate its services when as of Marxism in al l its forms, Soviet, And so it does not reall y matter the cra cks appear in life. Papa will Ea st European, West European, Lati n that the church is stifled in China denounce it publicly. Mamma, American and elsewhere. This is so and the Gospel is not proclai med. Grandma and the children will be for two reasons. On the one hand it The transformati on of China by found in the temple when personal gives expression to the hopes and Communist Party lea dership is itse lf needs are to be met. But all of this fears, the loyalties and the values of the redeeming work of Christ. M ao's w ill have ve ry little to do with th e millions of human beings among thoughts are cove rt Christi anity. All cru cified God in w hose hands is the whom God is at work, it is the we Christian.s have to add is explicit future of the world. China needs the vehicle therefore of rea l huma n vi r­ appreciation of that fa ct. Christia n church in its midst, not tues of justice, faithfu lness, aspi ra- Th ere is only one thing wrong to add a d imension beyond society to its ex perien ce but to confront the th eo ry and practice of its whole "Despite all our personal and social common life with their judge and th eir redeemer. sins ... we are called to make known Al I that I have said so far suggests ~ a w ord that must now be spoken. Eva ngelism must be a dimension of l the ways oi the judge and redeemer o ur Christ ian responsibility to Ch ina. Despite all our personal and social sins- indeed through the way we I oi the world to all peoples, repent of them and use the powers of this world-we are called to make know n the ways of the judge also to Communist Chinese." and redeemer of the world to all peopl es, also to Communist Chinese. tion and love as well as human sins w ith this: it is idolatry, not theology. If there is not an evangelistic quality of pride, idolatry, cruelty and hate. In other words it is a false and blind in our entire relation to other peo­ It is undiscern ing (Ro m. 12:2, I worship of human objects in the Thess. 5:21) either to explain rea l name of God. To their everlasting ple and cultures we are not really human beings by the pattern of cred it, Communists themselves have being serious about the God in their ideology o r to igno re thei r no use for this kind of worship at w ho m we cla im to believe. Unless ideology as a vehicle of thei r hu- th eir shrine. They have a different we care about, pray for, and support manity. faith, and know what it is. But Chris- however we can, the church in On the other hand the inner life tians w ho fa ll into it are deprived of China in its mission, we are not of the Communist movement is im- the one source of w isdom with rea ll y trying to respond to God's portant for Christians because it w hi ch to help Ch inese society, and purposes there. takes place as pa rt of the historical th e one authority that can gi ve them When that is said and heard, then drama of our times. It is no accident freedom to re spond creati ve ly to it, we must go on and say that just be­ that Marxism has arisen out of Chris- in its very human and ambivalent ca use evan gelism is so crucial, it can tendom, that its moral pathos fi nds struggle for a truly human future. lead us most astray when it becomes an echo in the Christian conscience, Nor w ill it do to rel egate the a human strategy and not a response and that its faith, especially its es- Christian message to a transcendent to the real work of God. Song chatology, shows so many sec ula r dimension w hich will complete the Choan-seng is right: " The assump­ parallels to the Christian faith. Mao- work and insight of the Chinese rev- tion th at any man or any nation, ist Marxism is the fo rm in w hich e lution. Of course it is true that a New China not excepted, can be China has moved into the history finite humanism cannot meet all th e treated as the object of religious whose hidden lord is Jes us Christ nee ds of humanity. Atheist ideol- conve rsion is as mi ssiologically fal se and which looks forward to the ful- ogies are al w ays throw in g up reli- as Biblically untenable." No one is fi llment of all things in him. It is gio us substitutes to placate the ulti- an object for God. The work of central to our obedience and wit- mate ques tions and yearnings of eva ngelism is one of sen sitivity, dis­ ness to explore what this mea ns. their people. Bu t a Christ above It is j ust at this point that we are atheist culture w ho ca res only for ce rnment and dialogue in which tempted to be unfaithful. It is so those parts of the human psyche Christ is always the unseen partner, much easier to find the meaning of that lie outside the common life is as he is the primary agent in the history in a human movement than finall y no more re al than the Ch rist world of the People's Republic of to endure the tension of judgment incognito of an atheist culture, de- China like everyw here el se. To dis­ and grace which always exists be- fi ned by its achievements. One of cover how this is so and respond to tween the Divine purpose and hu- these days religi on will come bac k it with open proclamation-this is man power. How much more satis- to Ch ina, as it has to Ru ssia , becau se the w ork of evangelism. • 16 [70] New World Outlook • February 1977 ~~vine ne1et1BORt100D~ In ~~~T ~~~e CITY

A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION CASE STUDY )1 \ ~ _: I . I

CONNIE MEYER

During the 1960s, the concept of of the National Division of the to the gospel. organizing people in a community United Methodist Board of Global Both to inform others and to clari­ to identify their needs and then to Ministries. fy the different types of community act on those needs came to the fore­ Community organization in the organizing, as well as community front as a church mission strategy. decade of the 70s, however, is often development, and how both relate Community organizing, as it was different than in the days when mass to the division objective of em­ called, was fostered by the civil demonstrations and confrontations powerment for a pluralistic society, rights movement's use of sit-ins and with government officials were in the National Division has selected demonstrations; by the work of the style. Today's organizing, while still six projects for close examination by late Saul Alinsky, a community or­ raising issues that often involve radi­ its staff and directors. It believes ganizer in Chicago and other cities, cal changes in the status quo, has these six represent good examples and by the community action phase become more sophisticated, more of both community organization and of the federal War on Poverty. varied in tactics and more reliant on community development. One of Though initially considered con­ carefully documented research . these, Crossroads Urban Center in troversial by some persons, commu­ Church people who are in commu­ Salt Lake City, Utah, is described nity organizing now has become a nity organizing also are engaging in here and the others will follow in staple of many church-supported theological reflection as to how to­ later issues of New World Outlook. mission programs, including those day's social change needs are related

New World Outlook • Febru•ry 1977 [71) 17 an th e churches " save" th e ce n­ Crime and Traffic Issues bers now are looking into is the C tral area of Salt Lake City from " W e dec ided that crime and traffic possibility of getting the neighbor­ becoming a series of deteriorating were the iss ues that could be tackled hood rezoned from R-6 to R-2a , a neighborh oods of poorly maintained first," said Tuttle. " About 30 people, lower density zone which would homes, inadequate street lighting all living on 4th Street, got together prevent apartment construction. and increased crime? in a meeting. First, we had done Organizing similar to that in Sher­ Th ey ca n, if United M ethodist two crime surveys, which showed wood Park has been repeated in the Cros sroads Urban Center has any­ that police response time was only city's Jackson Park area, in Westside th ing to say about it. Its community si x minutes in the east side (the and in the lower Rose Park area, all orga nizers are working hard to higher income area) and 20 minutes, initiated by Crossroads' neighbor­ achieve that end. if at all, in Sherwood. We invited hood workers. For example, Salt Lake City's Sh er­ th e chief of police to the meeting." The " Redlining Monster" w ood Park area . Sherwood is walled After that initial encounter, and off on three sides from other city some subsequent meetings with the The community groups which are residential neighborhoods by a free­ police comm1ss1oner, the police being created also are hitting hard, w ay, the Jordan River and bu sy Red­ chief promised more patrols, includ­ in cooperation with other Salt Lake wood Road . ing foot patrols, through the area. City organizations, at what's being Perhaps psychologically, these More importantly, Sherwood resi­ called the city's equivalent to King barriers seemed to affect the atti­ dents themselves gained a new Kong-the " redlining monster." tude of people livi ng in Sherwood. sense of togetherness, and were Redlining is a practice where " Even though they can see the sky­ more alert to report crimes and to banks and savings and loan institu­ line of Salt Lake City, the residents keep a watch on their neighbors' tions will not make conventional didn't feel part of Salt Lake City," homes. As of March last year, the home loans in a particular neigh­ said Crossroads' community organ­ crime rate had gone down 33 per­ borhood because they feel the area izer Dick Tuttle, a mild-mannered cent. is in decline. Planners and commu­ young man in his mid '20s. Widening of 4th Street South was nity organizers claim redlining con­ That was before November, 1975, reduced from the planned 106 feet tributes strongly to a city's blight. when Dick began walking through to 80 feet, with the saving-rather Crossroads, working with several the neighborhood, making door-to­ than destruction-of homes. Con­ community groups, launched a ma­ door visits with residents. One major cessions in traffic control and some jor research project to document concern, the chats revealed, was a green areas also were obtained. And the existence and extent of redlining long-standing city plan to widen a when the old road is rebuilt, homes in Salt Lake City. They found such street in the area which could take -previously occasionally damaged cases as a woman with an excellent 40 homes, many of them occupied by heavy trucks rolling over crum­ credit rating who wanted a loan so by retired elderly persons. Increased bling pavement-will be safer. she could tear down her old house burglaries, some street crime and Again, the approach to city officials in the central city area and build traffic were other worries in the was through organized Sherwood a new one on the same site. After neighborhood, which is occupied by residents, by this time joined in being repeatedly turned down by working class people, about half of Sherwood Neighborhood Action local lending institutions, she finally them members of the Church of Group (SNAG). got financing from a Minnesota Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. A new issue which SNAG mem- company.

Community organizer Dick Tuttle, left, talks with J.B . Stone, retired Sherwood area resident, in his home. "If it wasn't for people forining organizations all over the country, we could soon write off our future," says Stone.

18 [72] New World Outlook • February 1977 Another family wanted to sell their house for $30,000. Though four people wanted to buy it, all were refused loans. After obtaining documentation to support their redlining claims, Cross­ roads and the other groups formed People Agaimt Redlining (PAR), and succeeded in getting organizations and individuals to pledge to with­ draw, at PAR's request, more than $400,000 from discriminating banks and loan institutions. This practice is called " greenlining." Before any w ithdrawals were called for, how­ ever, PAR leaders staged a press conference (well covered by Salt Lake City media) to present their charges. Then the anti-redlining group met with· most of the city's financial institutions. At one meet­ ing, the president of a savings and loan firm announced it would from then on make loans " without re ­ gard to geographical location" and another savings and loan official echoed this. Responses from the other financial institutions were not as enthusiastic, however, and PAR has continued its campaign, winning the pledged support of former Utah Gov. Calvin Rampton and State Treasurer David Duncan. Richard Male, right, Crossroads' executive director, confers with community organizer John Conroy. The publicity battle al so has con­ building and the gothic Mormon area) we had to develop community tinued, w ith a Salt lake newspaper Temple. groups, such as a cred it union," the reveal ing that among 15 major lend­ But if one looks more closely be­ red-haired, intense director ex­ ers in Salt lake, 7.6 percent of loans liind the apparently prosperous near plained. " Here in Salt Lake City, we were in city zip code areas, com­ downtown blocks, one finds hidden already have the pieces of the pie, pared to 35.4 percent in county zip " courtyards" of small, shabby but they're going into the more codes during 1975 and part of 1976. houses . These result from the large affluent neighborhoods, rather than The story was the result of a new blocks laid out in Salt Lake City's where the needs are. There is some federal law . requiring lending insti­ early days when streetfront homes poverty here. Forty to 50 percent of tutions to disclose how many loans were backed by empty space in the the population make under $10,000 they've made in certain areas. rear for food gardens. With change a year." Crossroads isn 't stoppihg w ith the iri life style, the former gardens fi lled It's important, in Rich Male's redl ining issue. The problem of hun­ with tenement-type houses. opinion, to tie people together in ger in Salt Lake City, and how it can their neighborhoods ove r matters be affected in long range terms, Preventing the rest of central Salt Lake from becoming similarly run­ that affect them directly, su ch as ra ther than just by giving away food crime, street lights, lack of gutters, from a food bank, occupies the down is a major goal of Crossroads Urban Center, according to Richard property values. This neighborhood­ board now. And a future proposal consciousness is a stronger, more involves training organizers to work Male, executive director. " We have lasting development, he says, than in the intermountain area on such a chance to really make a difference here before it's too late," he said , merely organizing large grou ps of critical issues as environmental de­ people to march or picket ci ty hall struction, massive utility rate in­ speaking in front of a desk piled on isolated issues, a tactic used in creases, transportation and commu­ with PAR pamphlets, research re­ pa st yea rs by Crossroads. nication. ports and a piece of newsprint on which he was preparing a hunger Giving People Options Behind the Tourist Facade proposal to present to Crossroads' From a tourist viewpoint, Salt board of directors. " People need real options," he Lake City is a clean-looking, 4,200- Rich, only 31, came to Crossroads con tinued. " Most social agencies, in- foot-high city, bordered by the in the fall of 1975 after four years eluding the ch urches, perpetuate the snow-topped Wasatch Range on the as director of United Methodist- wel fare state by han ding out food east, its downtown dominated by supported Missouri Delta Ecumeni- and cloth ing. Instead, people should the tall new Mormon Church office cal Ministry. " In Missouri (a rural orga nize the sa me way doctors, law- New World Outlook • Febru•ry 1977 [7 3] 19 yers and business persons do. That way they will have a chance to "The churches are change their own conditions." the only institutions What Male and his staff of com­ munity organizers desire are " inde­ in the United States pendent, autonomous community which give freedom organizations to keep going even if Crossroads should no longer be to experiment, around." Their goal is not to con­ tinually tell the community groups to take the risk what to do, but to spot neighbor­ of failure, and that hood leaders and then let them carry on. Mary Petty, for example, is essential to the who heads SNAG, as a relief worker for the Mormon Church, already process of social knew the neighborhood and had change." natural leadership potential. What are Crossroads' relations - Richard Male with the dominant Mormon Church, which estimates that its members make up 71 percent of the city's 200,000 population? The Mormon Church doesn't officially contribute to Crossroads Helen Glasper, Crossroads staffer. income, as Protestant denomina­ by a 25-member board, half of them tions do, but it is not antagonistic, neighborhood residents, was found­ Rich said. " We've received gifts ed in 1966 in a building owned by from individual Mormons and we the Women's Division of the Meth­ serve a lot of Mormons in our food odist Church to provide services and pantry and crisis counseling service." emergency assistance to poor per­ The Crossroads director said he sons in Salt Lake City. Though crisis planned to approach the Mormon intervention, a food pantry and thrift Church president, or his representa­ store services still are offered, com­ tive, for support on the redlining munity organizing became an im­ issue. portant focus about six years ago. A Chicano, Robert Archuleta, heads Church Support the board. Chicanos make up about Crossroads' organizers also are 10 percent, and blacks 3 percent, of careful to talk with church leaders, Salt Lake City's population. including Mormons, before they be­ " The United Methodists have gin to make neighborhood surveys. been the spiritual mentors of the Organizer John Conroy, for ex­ Crossroads' programs," says Archu­ ample, spent an hour in conversa­ leta, a minority affairs coordinator tion with a Mormon bishop in the for the city's Board of Education. lower Rose Park area. The bishop, " They've tried their darndest to keep it turned out, as a neighborhood it going, but they never tried to resident, shared the same concerns decide what should be done. Now about growing crime and lessening we' re happily alive and well and property values. He promised to much of the credit goes to Richard publicize community meetings in Male. We heartily endorse his idea church bulletins. of supporting people to be their Contributing to Crossroads' in­ own advocates. People have to real­ come for 1976 were the United ize they can be moving and active." Methodist Church (a total of $11 ,000 Though raised an Orthodox Jew, from the National Division and the Richard Male feels at ease working Rocky Mountain Annual Confer­ with Christians. " The churches are ence; it is also an approved Advance the only institutions in the United Special project), United Presbyterian States which give freedom to exper­ Church, Lutheran Church of Amer­ iment, to take the risk of failure, and ica, United Church of Christ, Amer­ that is essential to the process of ica n Baptist Church, the Utah Epis­ social change," he says. • copal Diocese and individual Ms . Myer is a staff writer for the Depart­ churches. Foundations and individ­ ment of Interpretive Services, United uals also help. Crossroads, governed Methodist Board of Global Ministries. 20 [74) New World Outlook • Febru;ory 1977 1ern nd­ by ~!h­ ind Je r­ ·isis 1ri ft Jrn ­ im­ I. A ads out , of

ave the hu­ Jor on . ~ e p Billy Graham Crusade to ow " Irreligious." That's what evangel­ And yet, when Bi lly Graham's ind ist Leighton Fo rd called Seattle, ac­ Crusade came to Seattle in early Hd cordi ng to Re ligious News Service. May, 1976, it broke all attendance Jea Th e Billy Graham associate could records at the 63,000-seat King­ 1eir point with accuracy to the city's low dome, and one evening police said !al- rate of ch urch membership-be­ they had to turn away 10,000 who // all the joys. e. tween 20 and 35 percent, and all of came to hear Dr. Graham speak. ~w , those members are not active ones. Attendance for the eight-day Cru­ ing some of Or, if you'd rather hear the criti­ sade totaled 43 0,000, and 18,000 re­ are cism from a liberal point of view, sponded to Graham's " invitation." :ed the problems talk to the Rev. John Gorsuch, a In another pa rt of the city, one of er­ leadi ng Episcopalian pastor, who the founders of this country's con­ nd compares Seattlites' fa scination with tempo rary chari smatic movement of their (truly) great outdoors to the has made a sma ll Episcopal parish ancient Baal worship of the Old Tes­ the largest in the diocese. tament. " What you've got here is Th e City's liberal church leaders u!­ Northwest pantheism, writ large," he hold thei r meetings, with little dis­ ted CHARLEY LERRIGO says . se nsion supporting a Bl ack Panthers' 15, New World Outlook • February 19n [ 7 5] 21 plan to restructure the Police De­ One of the current joys among partment. Leading Seattle church­ Seattle's church leaders is an opti­ women organize across ecumenical mism about their programs, and the lines to work against ecclesiastical optimism is shared by both liberals male cha uvi nism, and in the process and evangelicals. " I'm very optimis­ find time to reproduce a nationally tic," sai d the Rev. W . Wilson Rasco, acclai med " Woman's Bible." The executive for the United Presbyterian libera ls do OK, too. Synod of Alaska Northwest. While Actually, most people seem to do there is a low percentage of church all right in Seattle. Financially and membership, compared to national psychologically. If there are com­ averages, he noted, that statistic plaints, they are not voiced with the does not reflect the fact that a large kind of bitterness and despair heard number of Seattle's inhabitants in other major cities. A walk through come to the city from other places, the main business district-especial­ and do not always transfer their of­ ly on a sunny day (a nd Seattle's ficial membership. The Seattle average rainfall is less than in New presbytery experienced a member­ York, Boston, Atlanta or New Or­ ship gai n in 1975, he said, although leans)- is nearly the equivalent of Seattle United Presbyterians lag be­ a visi t to a Chamber of Commerce. hind the membership growth in Northwesteners pride themselves, other parts of the state. with good reason, on their openness Father Dennis Bennett, an Epis­ to st rangers. copalian priest regarded as one of Seattle's ghetto compares, physi­ the founders of the contemporary ca lly and psychologically, to suburbs charismatic movement, saw a 15 per­ in some other parts of the country. cent gain in his parish's member­ A community worker interviewed ship last year. His St. Luke's church for this story agreed proudly: " Yeah . is al ready the largest parish in the People are always coming in here diocese, with average Sunday atten­ and saying, 'You 've got a really nice dance of about 600. The charismatic ghetto.' " Despite its large numbers move ment in Seattle alone has in­ of racial and ethnic minorities (14 volved 140 pastors-both Catholic percent of Seattle's population is and Protestant-and 50 to 60 pas­ black, and there are large communi­ tors meet together monthly; the lay ti es of various Asian-American side of the charismatic movement The Rev. Dennis Bennett, left, Epis­ groups) , racial tensions seem to be has done equally well. The impact copalian and charismatic leader; The low. " You've got the American of the evangelically minded (who, Rev. William Cate, right, executive dream at work here," says Father in this analysis should be separated director and president, Seattle Gorsuch, " with all of its joys and from the charismatics, although Council of Churches. some of its problems." there are similarities between the

22 (76] New World Outlook • February "One of the current joys among Seattle's church leaders is an optimism about their programs and the optimism is shared by both liberals and conservatives."

two), is also strong; the Graham The harmony carries over into Crusade being the most recent racial and social concerns. The Rev. evidence. Ike Ikeda, head of the United Meth­ And according to some, the dif­ odist-sponsored Atlantic Community ferences between the charismatics, Center, says that the main problem evangelicals, and socially concerned of the city's Asian American com­ Christians are mellowing out. "Four munity is, simply and primarily to five years ago," reported Virgil "survival." He was shocked by the E. Griepp, director of communica­ racism exposed in a " church racial tions for the United Presbyterian audit" done two years ago. Yet Synod, " the doers of the Word and Seattle has the only United Meth­ tellers of the Word might have been odist Asian-American bishop, Bishop at odds. Now, both seem to be Wilbur Choy, and its new district saying, 'We get nowhere fighting superintendent, the Rev. Stanley De­ each other. Let's realize that each Pano, is a Filipino-American. The of us is doing a valid thing, and United Methodist annual conference let's each of us do our own thing.' " has committed itself to doubling its There does seem to be, however, a number of ethnic minority ministers, distinct difference in emphasis be­ a goal Bishop Choy says will require tween the churches' leadership at not only new ethnic congregations, the middle and upper levels and but also ethnic minority ministers the local parishes, with the latter serving predominantly w h i t e making the more evangelical em­ parishes. Above, United Methodist Bishop Wi lbur phasis. Danny Roscoe, a community Choy. Top, Rev. Shojo Oi, Buddhist pastor. worker at a church-sponsored center together," said Cate. in Seattle's Center City (read " ghet­ The council speaks for itself, its to" ), attributed gains in the black decisions not binding on the mem­ community to the fact that the city ber churches. But while it does is the third most affluent communi­ create Task Forces to deal with cer­ ty for Blacks in the nation, and that tain issues, it tries to do much of the young people are tired of the its work through denominational old rhetoric. " The whole black structures. I ts efforts have led to movement here is pretty sophisti­ changes in " redlining" practices by cated," he said. " They know that Seattle's banks and a year-long going into the streets might bring peace education program. The changes, but those changes are more Council has established a task force temporary. We are having now to on the personhood of homosexuals define what it is we need, not make (the predominantly-gay Metropoli­ demands." One important note, tan Community Church in Seattle however. Most of the black church became a member of the Council leadership in Seattle is in the pre­ with only one dissenting vote among dominantly black denominations, Council directors) ; and it has played not among parishes of the pre­ a role in ecological controversies, in­ dominantly white churches. cluding the recent proposal for a Contributing to social awareness nuclear plant. " We can play a re­ has been the Church Council of conciling role," said Cate, "but only Greater Seattle, whose president and if we are playing an advocate's role. director is United Methodist minis­ The church should be able to move ter, thE! Rev. William Cate. The between the oppressed classes and Council's policy-making board is the establishment; but you have one-third women, and evenly di­ credibility with the minorities only vided between clergy and lay per­ if you are with them on the issues." Danny Roscoe, community worker in sons . Among its 60 members are 10 One program which bridged the United Methodist National Division program. Opposite page, Marie Blacks, three Japanese-Americans, ideological gap between evangeli­ Bronkhorst, Roman Catholic lay­ one Filipino-American, one Viet­ cals and liberals was the resettle­ woman with Seattle Church Coun­ namese-American, and two Native ment of Vietnamese refugees. A cil's Coalition task force on Women Americans. " It's a forum where the number of congregations in favor in Religion. diversity of the church can come of U.S. involvement in Vietnam were among the first to take in Viet­ namese families. That program, plus Seattle's general good-naturedness, increased the respect and under­ standing between the two groups of Christians. Through an awareness of the systemic problems the Viet­ "The Seattle Church namese refJ.Jgees were having, the evangelicals became more under­ Council's task force standing of the concerns of the on women in religion liberals, and the liberals were aided in breaking their usual stereotype of was responsible the evangelicals as persons uncon­ cerned with social problems. for republishing Ecumenism seems to fare well in Elizabeth Cady Seattle. Roman Catholic Archbishop Raymond G. Hunthausen speaks of Stanton's 1898 his fellow Protestant church leaders Woman's Bible." as " friends" and has cooperated with them on ·such issues as the of programs not much different drive against redlining. However, the from Christian programs. Its social Archbishop is new to his post, and concern has been manifested pri­ has spent much time learning the marily in the area of housing, and needs of his charges. The arch­ the Rev. Mr. Oi has hopes that the diocese is considering joining the temple will be able to sponsor a state council of churches, but the nursing home. archbishop was " not too sure" what And yet, behind that hopeful the shape of future ecumenical present is a troubled past. The main collaboration would be. temple building was completed just A Roman Catholic laywoman, two months before Pearl Harbor. Marie Van Bronkhurst, has been the When the U.S. government declared main staff person for the Seattle that Japanese-Americans would be Church Council's Coalition Task interned, the families who lived Force on Women in Religion. The around the temple were sent off to task force was responsible for re­ the internment camps, and the publishing Elizabeth Cady Stanton's building taken over by the U.S. 1898 " Woman's Bible," the first Navy. " Lucky," said the Rev. Mr. Oi, major collection of Biblical criticism " because the building was never by women, and the Seattle women vandalized." The property of many added some commentary of their of the families was confiscated, later own, gaining both national and to be turned over to another racial worldwide attention. In November, group. Plans the community had for 1976, the task force also organized a Japanese-American community a " Women in the Pulpit Day," in­ center were therefore scrapped. "I volving 300 women in some 140 can feel no resentment for those parishes. 11 All the women felt very days," the Rev . Mr. Oi said. " We good about their experience," re­ understand it was panic. It was a ported Ms. Bronkhurst, "and all the mistake. Let it be a mistake of the participating pastors were very sup­ past." He was standing on the steps portive." The experience gained in of the temple, looking at the park that venture will further the organi­ which was to have been a com­ zation of reform-minded women's munity center. "I don't think there's groups in the churches, she added. any racism now. There couldn't qe There is little contact between today under normal conditions." Seattle's Christians and the city's Unfortunately, there does seem to substantial Buddhist population. Rin­ remain some racism, even if the ban Shojo Oi is the senior minister Rev. Mr. Oi and the rest of the of a Buddhist temple which counts religious leaders in the largest city 875 Japanese-American families as north of San Francisco and west of members and has direct contact St. Louis have high hopes for a with 2,400 families in the area. The better future. • temple has Sangha (brotherhood) Mr. Lerrigo is a staff writer for the services on Sundays, a Dharma United Methodist Board of Global school (for children), and a number Ministries. New World Outlook • February 19n [79] 15 he first thing that struck me upon meeting Ham Sok Hon several years ago was that r his 70-year-old legs could easily outpace my 30-year-old ones -and he had a handicap in his long, flowing Korean dress and tradi­ HAM SO-K H()N tional shoes. I had asked Ham (rhymes with Tom) if we could talk and photo­ Wrtness to the Crudtbdon graph in Seoul 's Pagoda Park, be­ cause I knew that he is a living symbol of what the park's statues JIM STENTZEL memorialize : resistance to the at­ times brutal Japanese rule of Korea -rule which led to a rebellion in 1919 when Ham was 18 years old. When I referred to the occasion and to Ham's role in such resistance, however, he quickly put it aside, not only out of quiet humility, but be­ cause Ham's spiritual pilgrimage has little time for memories. Rather his life is a testimony that God's call is present-centered and future­ looking, one in which a people in captivity know best, in their present moment of deep suffering, that the promise of liberation is for real. Ham finds his integrity in the wholeness of God's Word as it speaks to the brokenness of his people and na­ tion. And his fast feet are reminders that God is sometimes impatient that His will be done. If in his younger years God gave him the wisdom of a sage, Ham has also carried all the courage of his youth into old age. His non-violent love for justice and human dignity led to his being imprisoned first by the Japanese, then by the Russian rulers of North Korea, and most re­ cently-in 1976-he was sentenced to eight years in prison by the pres­ ent South Korean dictatorship of Park Chung Hee. (At this writing, Ham has not yet been jailed but has been stripped of all his civil rights.) In each case, Ham has prayed not that he be released but that all of Korea be released from prison. And in each case Ham has been driven close to despair, repeatedly describ­ ing his life as a failure. Yet the Spirit never failed him, and his selfless determination has always sprung back-a process Ham describes as being " kicked by God." As a result, his witness has become an inspiration to people far beyond the Quaker circle he joined in 1961 . In a nation victimized by tyranni­ cal and authoritarian rule through- ie out this century, Ham, in a nutshell, in has come to know-and to bear at witness to-the crucifixion. Lesser Id people have lost all hope and any es sense of forgiveness at that point. 1is But his passion and vision stubborn­ Ii- ly leads on to Easter and the full­ blown proroise of resurrection. th Ham testified to this shortly before ) · he was sentenced last August. His e- words, written in the conclusion of 1g a letter to friends around the world, :s are timely for this or any other t· Lenten season : hile attending the prayer service last Friday I thought deeply of what W to say on August 11, my .,, last chance to make a statement. Sitting there I experienced an open­ "I feel that God is allowing this long-suffering ing as the following thoughts flashed ;e into my heart, thoughts similar to people to be subjected to a test ... to disci­ !r the Bible story of King David. While pline us in the qualifications of the world to 's his son was still alive, David fa sted !· and prayed, but when his son died, come." n David immediately rose up and ate us in the qualifications of the world you, I would urge you not to em­ It and drank. to come. I am deeply grateful for barrass your Lord. If you continue to e " In our court battle, we were full the sense that we have been able to act in this way, you will bring shame of indignation and did not concede prove ourselves worthy of the test to your lo rd , President Park. I an inch, but now that the end had thus far. beseech you not to act this way.' come, it was my intention to extend " In the trial session the other day, " At that point, I wanted to yel I out my hand and shake the hands of Professor Lee Moon Young, one of 'we have won our victory!', but I those who had brought us to trial, the defendants in our case, had the held my tongue, and silently wiped with words of appreciation for the following to say, with a radiant face, the tears from my eyes instead. hard work they had done. This is in his final statement: ' I am not con­ " God is alive! not the end of the struggle. Rather, cerned with how long a sentence " I pray that all of you will be while believing completely in my I might receive. Rather, as advice to healthy, living in the Tru th." • rightness, I must forgive both the judges and prosecution, and pray for them...... ------VICTORY SHAWLS A SYMBOL " In addition, the thought occurred Eighteen prominent Korean and held prayer meetings. But to me that the best of things would Christians, including Ham Sok they wanted to do more to seek be given to us in the worst of times. Hon, were sentenced last August support and understanding and, On asking myself what the 'best to between two and eight years with all domestic avenues closed thing' could be, the answer came in prison. El even of the 18 had by the pervasive Korean CIA and back to me to 'pray for the happi­ signed a declaration on March 1- police, that meant going overseas. ness of your enemies'. On wonder­ the anniversary of the 1919 found­ The women so ught a way to do ing what could be the 'worst of ing of a movement resisting this which would be as rich in times', the answer returned clearly: Japanese colonial rule-calling for Christian symbolism as it was em­ 'To know beyond doubt that one has the restoration of democracy in blematic of the Korean struggle. been fully right, yet to be cast out South Korea. The result was that the women (punished) in spite of one's right­ The Park Chung Hee dictator­ began crocheting purple and ness'. ship responded by blocking all lavender " victory shawls." " Didn't Jesus himself ask 'Why has news of the declaration inside In order to raise funds for Thou forsaken me?' And did he not Korea and by charging its signers clothing and other assistance for then say 'forgive them . . . ' ? I was and key sympathizers with at­ the most needy political prisoners, aware of a feeling that the 'moment tempting to overthrow the gov­ these hand-made victory shawls which encompasses infinity' is draw­ ernment. The accused were tried are now available for a donation. ing near, as if we were watching the in courts closed to the general Information on the shawls and on moment-by-moment sinking of the public-a condition which led Korea may be obtained through sun beyond the horizon. wives and family of the 18 to the North American Coalition on Human Rights in Korea, Room "I feel that God is allowing this boycott the four-month trial. 1538, 475 Riverside Dr., New long-suffering people to be sub­ During the boycott, the wives demonstrated outside the court York, N.Y. 10027. jected to a test, in order to discipline

New World Outlook • Februuy 19n [81] 27 United Methodist

Voluntary Services Jeannie Fields assists• a cottage industry in Atlanta For Economic Self-He] involving 45 women crafters Women thro ~ e

rs. Maria Barreiro is an attrac­ M tive young mother of two, a Cuban refugee, and a business­ woman in an unusual economic self-help program for low-income women in Atlanta called Brier Patch. Every week she meets with 10 to 15 other women in a northeast At­ lanta church and oicks up a brown paper bag with pattern pieces which she takes home and sews into three articles of clothing to be returned completed the next week. At the end of the month Mrs. Barreiro re­ ceives a paycheck for her work. The items she has sewn go with others to make up a first quality women's tennis apparel line that is currently marketed in department stores and speciality shops across the country and anticipates $400,000 in sales next year. · Receiving support from the United Methodist Voluntary Services of the National Division of the Board of Global Ministries, Brier Patch is a tax-exempt, non-profit enterprise involving some 45 women of all ages, cultures and circum­ stances in a "cottage industry" which allows them to supplement average incomes of $4,284. The Brier Patch "crafters," as the women are known, work out of four neighborhood units. The craft­ ers are white, black, Spanish-speak­ ing; young mothers, divorced and senior citizens. Sixteen are heads of households. o jemsel'Ves into the Brier Patch

They are all poor, and they are when volunteers of the Young classified as " unemployable" due to Women's Christian Association di­ age, health, education and home recting a home management pro­ responsibilities. gram in a low-income housing proj­ More than half of the women ect in Atlanta sought ways to help have physical disabilities such as women in the area earn money diabetes, high blood pressure, and through the marketing of their hand­ heart disease and more than half work items. have family responsibilities such as In that first year, a dozen women small children, elderly relatives or a fashioned quilts, handbags, and em­ disabled spouse. broidered shirts. With the help of They represent a segment of the the Y volunteers, they sold the items population which Mary Bankester, at bazaars and fairs across the city executive director of Brier Patch, earning around $3,000 as well as an says has been neglected by the eager market. numerous employment programs of The increasing demand and prof­ the federal government. its led the Y volunteers to recognize Employing the "cottage industry" the need for high quality standards system used successfully by Europe­ and begin the search for more vol­ ans for hundreds of years, the Brier unteers to give direction in such Patch approach enables the crafters areas as wholesale purchase, selec­ to work at home at their own pace tion of fabrics, marketing, genera­ allowing for health needs and the tion of capital and general organiza­ demands of their families. tion. Each crafter is paid by the piece, A volunteer lawyer incorporated commonly working on three pieces the crafters under the name of Rab­ a week, and each piece must meet bit Enterprises, Inc. doing business top quality standards. with the trade name, Brier Patch, And while there is no average and a volunteer designer created the amount earned each month by the tennis line which now includes 31 crafters, Ms. Bankester hopes that different items. each woman will make at least $100 And a 14-member volunteer board per month to supplement the fam­ of directors now provides expertise ily income. and direction in the areas needed In fact, she notes, some of the by Brier Patch. women have maintained such steady Ms. Bankester explains that a ten­ work levels, that they have been nis line was chosen as the point of able to come off the welfare rolls. concentration because tennis has Brier Patch got its start in 1970 only two seasons a year in terms of New World Outlook • February 1977 [83) 29 fashio n and could be more easily The project began in 1970 with handled with limited resources. so me foundation support and has The crafters themselves devised continued with a $25,000 federal the name " Brier Patch" taken from grant and financial support from an old English embroidery stitch UMVS. Ms. Bankester says, though, known as " brier" and " patch" taken that the federal funds have been from patchwork quilts. difficult to deal with because they Twenty-six volunteers now work are allocated in small amounts over with the Brier Patch enterprise in­ a period of time and can 't meet the cl uding the 14-member volunteer immediate capital needs of Brier board of directors. The rest of the Patch . group is made up of volunteers who All profits are plowed back into serve as on-site quality control the corporation. In 1977 $380,000 checkers. in sales will be needed to pay the Part of the reason for the tremen­ operating and materials costs as well dous success of the project, says Ms. as the payment to crafters. Bankester, has been the availability The United Methodist Voluntary of talent in the urban area. Services entered the support system While the Brier Patch board of for Brier Patch in 1974 when a directors set the course for the cor­ United Methodist board member poration, it is managed on a day-to­ applied to UMVS for aid. day basis by four full-time and two UMVS functions as a support part-time staff persons. agency for some 28 projects and 233 Ms. Bankester joined Brier Patch volunteers nationwide in many areas as its first executive director in 1974. of human development. It is funded She came with a lifelong interest through the Human Relations Day and experience in volunteerism and Offering which will be collected crafts as well as an eight-year back­ February 13. ground in business management Specifically the support from with the Coca-Cola Company. UMVS goes to projects through six In a soft voice and with a quick different services : certification and smile, she explains why she left the advocacy of a project, sickness ben­ security of the Coca-Cola Company efits, accident insurance, liability in­ to work a 10 to 12-hour day, six days surance, training resources, partial a week in what was at first an un­ funding for subsistence staff, re­ certain venture. source development, personnel ref­ " It was an opportunity to bring erence, and communications. my vocational and avocational de­ Brier Patch chose two of the ser- sires into one, and I think this is what everyone strives for in life to have the kind of employment that is personally satisfying. Brier Patch is probably the most personally satisfy­ ing thing I've ever done." Financial resources have been a continual concern for Brier Patch and this year the corporation will be making presentations to 25 At­ lanta foundations seeking money to establish the operating capital fund needed by a rapidly growing busi­ ness. Left, Frances Bailey, volunteer quality control checker, displays the monogrammed sun visors, one of the trademarks of the Brier Patch tennis line.

Below, Sarah Phillips and Claudia Turner, Brier Patch staff assistants, check inventory and package items for one of the many national outlets.

Opposite page, Mary Bankester, executive director of Brier Patch, outlines the self-help program for low-income women to which she devotes 10-12 hours a day, six days a week. vices, training resources and sickness benefits. This year UMVS is com­ mitted to contribute $2840 to pay half the cost of training the women to sew. Each woman is also covered annually by UMVS with up to $500 in medical benefits. Ms. Bankester says the help has been invaluable. "We are not in the position to pay health insurance or life insur­ ance and this has been a godsend for the women to know that their medical costs will be paid." Maria Barreiro, whose husband is currently unemployed, depended on the UMVS coverage during hospital stays over the past two years. UMVS field representatives visit Brier Patch annually and maintain a constant link. "They stay in touch to help steer us in the right direction for sources of funding, offer general guidance and also pass on informa­ tion about similar efforts elsewhere," says Ms. Bankester. In addition to financial benefits for the crafters, the program has its intangible benefits as well, says Ms. Bankester. The weekly meetings provide an opportunity for fellowship for wom­ en who are housebound or alone. A Brier Patch newsletter alerts them to free opportunities in the com­ munity to enrich their lives and ex­ pand their education. The women also have the opportunity to pur­ chase at cost the sewing machines provided by Brier Patch , something which normally would be out of the question for many of the women. New World Outlook • Febru..-y 19n [85) 31 Mary Grace Earhart, staff trainer and Maria Barreiro examine items in the Brier Patch tennis line.

Leadership training is another im­ The success of Brier Patch has al­ portant benefit for the women. ready spurred other groups across When a crafters unit is formed in the country to attempt the "cottage a neighborhood, the women go industry" approach. Ms. Bankester through a three-month training pe­ receives calls from groups as far riod under the guidance of i\1rs. away as Texas and Colorado seeking ''Some of the Mary Earhart, the full-time staff advice. trainer. While it has grown dramatically After training, they then go into a sophisticated operation at the women have through a nomination process and management level, Ms. Bankester elect by secret ballot a head crafter, emphasizes that Brier Patch is still maintained such who is usually the best seamstress . dependent on the original concept The head crafter becomes the leader of women working in their homes for the group and serves with full to help support themselves and steady work voting rights on the volunteer board their families. of directors. At the same time, Brier Patch is " This provides for tremendous realizing a UMVS goal of retrieving levels that they communications all down the line," individuals from the despair and says Ms. Bankester. " If the women alienation often represented by ad­ have been able have problems they call their head vancing age, overwhelming respon­ crafter who is a neighbor of theirs. sibility, poverty, lack of education She in turn calls the trainer, who and illness. to come off the calls me and we resolve the prob­ When a crafter signs her name to lem." the little brown card that accom­ When the production demands in- panies each Brier Patch item saying welfare rolls.'' crease, the women also have the op­ " this was made especially for you tion to accept more work or vote to by ," she does so with a invite and train new crafters for the tremendous sense of pride and the group. knowledge that she is not only pro­ Ms. Bankester hopes Brier Patch viding support for herself and her can become self-sufficient soon so family, but is a contributing member that more women can become in­ of society, as well. • volved and the corporation can branch into other outreach efforts Ms . Fields is news director for United such as a line of sportswear or a Methodist Communications, Atlanta, project for men. Georgia. 32 [86) New World Outlook • Febru;ary 1977

------Urban lnv1stm1nls

and R1dlining FMN~ WHITE ow many times have you heard to redline, which destroys a neigh­ groups se nt representatives to W ash­ H it? ''When blacks move into a borhood by removing its credit life­ ington to tes ti fy that disinvestment neighborhood, proJ:jerty values go line, is based on the racist view that practi ces of banks in thei r cities were down." You still h~ar it today, after ethnic change will destroy it anyway. destroying perfectly viable neigh­ all we went through in the '60's: the Self-fulfilling prophecy at work borh oods. Their effo rts paid off. flood of government reports, aca­ again . In 1975 Congre ss, with effective demic studies and books which Is redlining legal? The 1968 Civil leadership from Sen ator Will ia m showed that it was not the entrance Rights Act prohibited discrimination Proxmire, passed the Home Mort­ of blacks, but the exit of long-time, in lending. The Housing and Urban gage Disclosure Act. The HMDC mostly white homeowners that Development Agency (HUD) and does not prohibit re dlining but does caused values to decrease. When require all lending institutions to whites who believe that their prop­ make public their lending practices erty values will decline move and in an y given area . Th at was a good other fearful whites refuse to buy, beg inning. As Senator Proxmire said , the prophecy of economic decline " In many ways the Home Mortgage is fulfilled. Racist assumptions have "RACl~T A~~UMPTICTi~ Discl osure Act is the best kind of been a major factor in the decline HA\JE.: BE.:E.:N A reform legislation because it merely of urban inner city neighborhoods. provides community groups and No community can remain viable MAJOR ~ACTOR local officials with information and without access to capital to buy leaves the precise remedy to the homes, maintain apartments, run IN TH€ DE.:CLINE.: locality." businesses. If access is cut off, a a URBAN INNE.:R CITY In Febru ary of 1976 a white neighborhood will decline. Th is couple attempting to purchase a process is popularly called " red­ NE.:IGHBORHOOD~." home in a mixed neighborhood of lining." Whether or not an actual Cincinnati, Ohio were denied a red line is drawn around an area mo rtgage. Th ey took the Savi ngs and on the map is unimportant. What Loan Association to court and a Fed­ is important is that the process of eral District j udge rul ed the practi ce condemning an entire neighborhood of redlining was illegal under the by removing access to credit has four other federal agencies were to 1968 Civil Rights Act. Repercuss ions been going on in the banking world enforce the provis ion. But the only from that ruling will be important. for a long time. More important is federal action was to place posters re cognition that the criteria used by calling for " non-discrimination" in Frank White, former director of the lending institutions which redline the lobbies of lending institutions. Interfa ith Cente r on Corporate Respon­ have nothing to do with economic During 1973 and 1974, however, sibility in New York, is currently a free­ reality-a subject in which one many community groups began to lance writer and consultant to United might expect bankers to be organize against this kind of " urban Methodist and United Presbyterian thoroughly versed. No, the decision disinvestment." In 1975 20 such economic responsibility committees.

New World Outlook • Fe b ru~ry 19n [87 ] 33 Citizen action has been more ef­ fective in fighting this form of racial "CITIZE:N ACTION HA~ BE:E:N discrimination than in perhaps any other cause in recent history. In MORE: E:FFE:CTl\JE: IN FIGHTING THI~ FORM major cities, community organiza­ tions have instituted "greenlining" campaigns against "redlining" banks. Of RACIAL Dl~CRIMINATION A greenlining campaign gathers pledges from depositors in banks to THAN IN PE:RHAP~ ANV OTHE:R withdraw those deposits if the prac­ tice of redlining is not stopped. CAU~E: IN RE:CE:NT HIITORV." In Chicago, 20,000 pledges rep­ resenting over $100 million in de­ posits forced five lending institutions to sign "greenlining" agreements which called for reinvestment in city neighborhoods. The new legislation, court cases and the work of cit:zen action groups is a beginning but much needs to be done if our cities are to survive. Linked to the practice of redlining is the situation faced by responsible property owners in redlined areas. They rely heavily on mortgage re­ financing to make property improve- 34 [88) New World Outlook • February 197T HOW REDLINING WORKS

let's see how this might work Returning to his chair, he picks in an area where your wife will in a typical but fictitious city. In up a piece of paper. "You will be happy to pick you up after the board room of a major down­ get more specific details but here work. And Pleasantvi lle is known town bank, the president and top are the general policy changes for its good schools. Any ques­ managem~nt personnel are seated with respect to future mortgage tions?" around a huge oval table. At one loans in the south central city Finally, in a small, expensive end of the room is a large map of area : 1) We will require substan­ restaurant downtown, a man and the city. tially higher down payments; 2) his wife have met for lunch. He is The vice president in charge of Our interest rates for that area not your average man in th e the mortgage loan department will go up; 3) Closing costs will street. In fact, he may own your rises and heads for the map. He increase; 4) All loan maturity street. He is a very wealthy land­ carries a red marker pen. On the dates will be moved up; 5) No lord. map he draws a red line follow­ loans will be granted on proper­ " Look, Florence," he leans ing four streets which border a ties over 15 years old, no matter across the table, "John gave me nine-square block area by north, what condition the property is the scoop. John has been a friend south, east and west. in. Finally, gentlemen, take your as well as a banker and I believe " Gentlemen, as of today we time in getting appraisals." him. I think I've been a good are going to make substantial A few blocks away, in the cen­ landlord all these years. I've kept policy changes as we respond to ter of the bank's redlined area, up the properties and treated the loan requests in this area," he is a manufacturing company. Its tenants well, you know that. But says. " Our researchers and ap­ president is speaking to his man­ now, what choice do we have? praisers have warned us that this agement team. " Friends," he John told me things would ge t entire nine-block neighborhood smiles, " I've got good news for rough in certain parts of the ci ty. will soon begin a rapid period you this morning. We finally com­ You know which part he meant. of decline. The percentage of pleted the deal and we're relocat­ It's going down, Florence, and minorities has increased from 30 ing both the plant and the head­ there's nothing we can do about percent to 52 percent in just 18 quarters in Pleasantville, 60 miles it. We've got to sell out before months. Our bank has always north of the city. the word gets around. We've got tried to look ahead to protect the "You know this neighborhood a lot of property in south cen­ financial interests of our custom­ is rapidly changing for the worse. tral." ers and stockholders. It is clear Property here will be worth " But who will buy?" his wife that further investment in the nothing in a few years and costs asks. south central section would vio­ for security and insurance will " I'll sell it to the fast buck guys late our prudent management most likely double. Well, gentle­ if I have to. It won't be worth a principles." men, soon you will be working cent two years from now." f. al ly

0 l "TH€ URBAN Dl~IN\1€~TM€ NT ~TORY BRING~ TCXJ€TH€R TWO MAJOR CONC€ RN~ Of TH€ CHURCH ­ URBAN Ml~~ION AND CORPORATE: R€~PON~IBILITY . "

ments, thereby increasing the value lated Christians have been con­ cerned with legal equality and of their investments. cerned with the decisions of profit­ economic justice should join to­ When redlining denies landlords making institutions. Those con- gether in attacking this problem. • reinvestment mortgage monies, they have no alternative but to sell to the " fast buck operators" with no stake in the community. There begins the slide toward absentee landlordism, WHAT CAN CHURCHES DOI code violations, and finally abandon­ ment. On the local level, churches of the present cyclical disruption As the fear of neighborhood col­ should contact existing citizen within the building and real estate lapse spreads, other stabilizing in­ action groups working on urban industries could be eliminated. fluences within neighborhoods are disinvestment problems. If no Pension fund managers usually affected. City tax bases diminish, city such groups exist, a church group say their small percentage of in­ tax rates soar, city services including or a cluster of churches might vestment in the mortgage market fire and police protection are re­ start one. Under the Home Mort­ is due to bond interest rates, duced. Inflation aggravates urban gage Development Act of 1975, problems of liquidity, lack of staff decline causing city governments to citizen groups may inspect bank expertise or high administrative designate as expendable people and mortgage loan records for evi­ costs. programs (" lifeboat ethics" ) to main­ dence of redlining. Economic reasons may not be tain fiscal solvency. Caught in the Local church groups can meet the real answers, however. The squeeze, businesses move to greener with officials of banks which bulk of pension funds are man­ suburban pastures and unemploy­ handle their church's (or their aged by trust departments of ment grows. own) accounts and ask questions about 25 commercial banks in As banks demand higher rates of about the banks' opinions and/or New York City, Chicago and other return on their investments, builders practices of redlining. large cities. These bankers are ac­ who once constructed single family At the national level, church customed to short-run perform­ houses-important for neighbor­ agencies should write all lending ance and portfolio gain and there­ hood stability-shift to outlying institutions which hold or manage fore play the stock market. areas too. Most housing develop­ church funds asking bank policy Comparative studies begin to ments today are of the multi-family, and practice questions. show that over a 10-year period, high-rent type. They are built to save Banks in which churches hold mortgage investment is at least money, provide banks with greater stock should be asked to disclose equal to, if not greater than, stock returns on investment, and are de­ their mortgage loan practices to performance in terms of yield. signed for the upper one-quarter in­ all shareholders and if unwilling There are new mortgage instru­ come earners in our society. to do so, churches should institute ments available to pension funds Revenue sharing has not helped public interest proxy resolutions which require no administrative cities because Washington releases requesting such reports. costs in which monthly payments funds to states and localities without One other situation directly re­ of both principal and interest are concern for need. In Connecticut the lated to the churches might guaranteed by the U.S. govern­ city of Hartford had to go to court to provide a new, creative and im­ ment (Government National Mort­ stop the Housing and Urban De­ portant option for national church gage Association "Passthrough velopment agency-the one agency action. Certificates" and others). These mandated to assist low-income hous­ Pension funds are one of the need to be studied. ing development in America-from largest sources of capital in the Church pension fund boards granting $4 million to seven sub­ United States. They have grown might create and fund an ecu· urban towns. None of the seven had from $58 billion In 1960 to $250 menical or denominational study been required by HUD to provide billion today. Most pension funds to examine ways in which through estimates on numbers of low-income invest only about 3 percent of creative new management their families that were expected to reside their assets in home mortgages. funds might be used to assist be­ in their towns. Yet insurance companies, which leaguered cities. The results of The urban disinvestment story are similar in nature to pension such a study could influence bank brings together two major concerns funds, invest 30 to 40 percent in trust managers and other union to the church-urban mission and home mortgages. or government pension funds to corporate responsibility. Urban mis­ Money managers agree that if join the churches in a national sion personnel have dealt with gov­ pension funds could be tapped urban reinvestment program. ernment and legal structures of for the mortgage market, much justice . Corporate responsibility-re-

36 [90] New World Outlook • February 19n

------arly one spring night in 1970, the members of my family Ewere fa ster asleep than w e'd been for weeks. W e had just returned home from travels in Hong Kong and Japan, eaten our third nd dinner that r.iight, and retired to re­ to. cover from untold hours of lost I sleep. Shortly after we were all well under, the phone rang. Fath er lunged out of bed, down the hall and stairs, the house groaning under his unexpected weight. " Hello . .. what? . . . ahh, yes just a minute." I was well awake by now, though far from alert. The phone was for me. I was greeted by a minister, whose name I didn't catch at first. He wanted to set up an interview sometime; to talk to me about something having to do with youth. I was sixteen years old. " Sure," I said, and tumbled back to slumber. Monday after school, the Rev. David L. Ern st and a pretty girl dressed in what was later described as " bourgeois hip" attire, met me at my local church. They asked me some questions, and told me about some youth team that had meetings. They were interviewing people for the team. I'd never seen either of them before. I'd never heard of any youth team before. But I answered the questions and enjoyed the atten­ tion. They left and said they'd call me later. One week later I was on the Con­ ference Council on Youth Ministries. One month later I was at my first Annual Conference. One year later I was in Nashville, Tennessee train­ ing as a Youth Service Fund Educa­ tor. Six years later I was heading the Pacific Northwest delegation to the General Conference in Portland . Along the way, I'd passed through district and conference youth ac­ tivities, the Conference Council on Ministries' Executive and Personnel committees, World Methodist Con­ ference in Denver, and a year in The Ungreening of Nashville working for the United Methodist Council on Youth Minis­ try. And each step of the way was hardly more intentional than the first. Nonetheless, here I am : a 23 Elaine Woodworth year old, deeply entrenched in the faith and also the framework of United Methodism. I am, thus, a A 23-YEAR-OLD'S ODYSSEY IN statistical oddity. THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Discoveries of a Youth Groupie Elaine Woodworth I began my trek along United Methodist shadowy ways with a New World Outlook • February 1977 [ 9 1) 37 fa irly simple understan ding and history and theology. In fact, a sibility beyond strictly secular commitment to the ch urch. M any friend and I were known on ca mpus spheres. of my most significa nt iden tity-dis­ for lingering in the dining hall till At the end of my second year at covering experien ces came at chu rc h the ch airs w ere placed atop cleared school, I left. I lived in Nashville camps and re treats. And my late 60's and w iped tables, pursuing with ex­ for a year, working on the staff of liberal political convictions w ere traordinary concentration the impli­ the United Methodist Council on shared by some of the special cations of some obscure point in Youth Ministry. It was a very hard ch urc h people I knew and see med John Cobb's writing on process the­ time for me and for my relationship to fa ll ro ughly w ithin the Christi an ology : pursuit of wisdom. My room­ with the church. There I was: in the teachings that I understood at the mate and I pulled together a sm all midst of CHURCH. I lived and time. In short, I w as a late-peace­ w eekend seminar on Christian so­ breathed with it and hoped to movement youth groupie, com­ cial concerns : witness to social re­ strengthen my involvement. But to mitted to the church in order to sponsibility. my dismay, none of my three com­ usher in social reform and fi nd nur­ In addition, through this period mitments fit into the framework ture as I sorted out myse lf and the my local church involvement be­ there. Nurture was gone. Straight world that I w as new ly awa re of. came deeper and richer. I found that gray halls and hyper-bureaucratized Slowly my commitment chan ged . all three of my commitments were human endeavors left no quiet for After working long and hard and an chored somehow in local church the needs of the humans. I chinked often in vain with United Methodist activities. Worship became a time into place as did those around me. youth and young adults on state­ and place of nurture. Sermons be­ I ch inked into a place that was de­ ments condemning the Vietnam w ar came real tools of learning. Chu rch fined on all sides, but left untouched and advocating paper and metal re­ school teaching became a forum for inside. I was radically alone inside cycling, my optimism wore thin. my witness which was broadening the place. Nurture was gone: from Finally I realized that people in the to include areas of Christian respon- me and for me. church are generally not interested in taking daring, if orthodox Chris­ tian, political positions, no matter what the issues are. For a short time I tried to drag the institution into responsibility, but soon recognized the futility of such efforts. My hopes of effecting political and social re­ newal through United Methodist channels were dashed, but not on the rock upon which the Church is built. M y exposure to Christian fun­ damentals was already too extensive · by this time for me to believe that the core of the faith was incom­ patible w ith my dedication to battle secular evil. M y commitment to the Church now developed three thrusts. First, I reta ined my commitment to seek nurture and to contribute to others' nurture. Second, I strove to under­ stand better the wisdom of the Christi an tradition. What I knew Former UMCYM officers. thus far w as vitally relevant to my needs and to the needs I sought to speak to outside myself. I wanted to know more. Third, I determined "THE:RE:'~ NO ~E:CRE:T ~ORMULA to " w itness" to the social injustices and inadequacies that Christian peo- THAT IN~TANTL Y MAKE:~ ple ought not ignore. My desire for responsi ble social witness had not YOUTH OR YOUNG ADULT~ d iminished. OR PE:R~ON~ a ANY OTHE:R Nurture, Wisdom and Witness CATE:GORY ~AITH~UL AND These w ere my early years of col­ lege. I attended a Sunday evening COMMITTE:D TO THE: CHURCH ." fellowship w ith thoughtful Christian people: nurture. I became a religion major and intently studied Christian 38 [92] New World Outlook • February 1977 lia r at ille "I Ll\JE:D IN NA~H\JILLE: FOR AVE:AR, WORKING ON THE: of on trd IT AFF OF UMCVM . . . THE:RE: I WA~ a CHURCH." lip he nd to to m- 1rk Alienation in Nashville New Understandings and pendent upon the un likely success Commitments of this little corn er. :ht Wisdom was gone. We each in­ ed side our places were w ise . W e each When I finished, I discovered I'd My commitment to the United or flew hundreds of miles to share our come to an understanding that al­ Methodist Chu rch is much more ed wisdom with youth and groups of lowed me to hate what I experi­ te ntative in this new light, though no less si ncere. I re mai n worki ng in 1e. Sunday school t~acher s . But there enced in a little corn er of the the denomination because at the e­ in our gray places, we w ere wise Church in Nashvi lle, and at the sa me ve ry least we to be the ed on the inside, with no outlet for time to va lue highly the Church as a desire Church. Within the denomination, ]e wisdom. rich historical movement with a my commitments haven't changed m My sense of social responsibility great mission to do. I was excited much. I seek to find and provide was gone. I discovered that I had no by the larger view and the potential. nurture ; I purs ue the wisdom of the w itness of responsibility to offer Since that discovery, I've been a Christian tradition from its roots to without an exchange of nurture and lot more comfortable. I sti ll see contemporary growth; I endeavor to wisdom w ith the people of the many fai lures of the United Meth­ w itness to the wisdom and responsi ­ church. odist corn er of the Church as it tri es bility that I lea rn about. In Nashville, I experienced a sick to live up to God's high ca ll ing. Dis­ church. I didn't understand the si ck­ ciples hip fai ls, Global Ministries Th ere's no new gimmick in that. ness well. The facts that I know are fai ls, Pacific Northwest A nnual Con­ Th ere's no se cret formu la that in­ that I went to Nashville, suffered fe rence fai ls, and I expect all other sta ntly makes youth or young adults tremendous alienation and frustra­ areas of church life fai l. It makes or perso ns of any other category tion, and survived at all only with me sick inside to remember the fai th ful and committed to the great help from a few friends who careless ness with w hich the General Chu rch. I'm here thanks to God and weren' t bound by the straight gray Confere nce dispenses with business to the long care, conscientious sup­ at times. Bu t the fai lures are of a port and si ncere witness of lots of hall spell. I returned from the year little corner, not of the plan. The others in the Church. And that's all quite befuddled about the church plan, the commissio n of God to his I know to do to make and keep the and my role in it. My energy was people, remai ns worthy of my com­ church community healthy. • spent. mitment. An d the plan is not de- Back at school, however, I had a research project waiting. I had con­ tracted to receive credit for doing YOUTH MINISTRY a study of something connected with my time in Nashville. It came The activism of the 60s res ulted Meth odist National Youth M inistry as a ha:rd assignment. I mostly in the creation in 1970 of the Organization, which began to func­ wanted to forget the whole thing. United Methodist Coun ci l on Yo uth tion last month. The organization But finally I got inspired to read and M inistry, national body charged ties United Methodist youth more analyze and endeavor to make some with un ifying youth m in istry acro ss closely to the Board of Disciple­ sense of the experience. The result­ the church. It replaced the previ­ ship and the annual conferences. ing paper, titled " Demythologizing ous, long-standing nationa l MYF O ne of its two parts is a national the Board of Discipleship," was o rga nization. UMCYM enjoyed youth ministry steeri ng committee. much more general in its focus than considerabl e autonomy an d Th e other is a biennial national the title implied. Though I started espoused youth and ethnic mino r­ youth ministry convocation, which with a specific experience, w hen I ity ("Th ird Worl d" ) empowerm ent. revives a pattern of years ago ; th e began thinking I discovered that the Staff, like El aine Woodworth, were first wil l be held in Au gust. Th e question really troubling me was, recen t high sc hool grad uates. new organization and confe rence what is the Church ? M y w ork then UMCYM was controversial, most councils on youth ministry will con­ centered around clarifying the dif­ notably for its advocacy of homo­ tinue the practice of se lecting proj­ ferences between the " Church apos­ sexual rights. ects for funding th rough the Youth tolic and universal," and the The 1976 Ge nera l Conference re­ Servi ce Fund, w hich has experi­ United Methodist Church and the placed UMCYM with a new United enced a stead y decline. local church down the street. New World O utlook • February 1977 [93] 39 volves trying to meet the spiritual, social , cultural, and individual needs YOUTH WORK IN of the participants. We employ regu­ lar devotions, discussions, films, SIERRA LEONE recreational games, music, and arts and crafts in order to help meet these needs. Ron directs the pro­ gram and Velma, as assistant, is in­ We are here in Sierra Leone as volved mainly in developing a young missionaries under the Board of women's group. Global Ministries of the United Other than the Urban Centre Ron Methodist Church. The United is coordinator for all the Western Methodist Church in Sierra Leone District United Methodist Youth is autonomous, and so we are serv­ Fellowships. A specific project with­ ing as " partners-in-mission." We are in this work has been the develop­ unique in our service as Velma is a ment of a singing and instrumental national of Sierra Leone. She has group which calls itself " the Jesus been active in the United Methodist Generation Youth Singers." The Church and in voluntary work for group tries to employ musical styles other Christian organizations. Until relevant to Sierra Leonean youth. It recently she was a secondary school comprises over twenty-five young teacher of English language and people from the different youth fel­ literature. Ron , an Afro-American lowships and is presently preparing from New York City, is a newcomer for public performances. Velma is to the United Methodist Church. He now a member of the editorial board previously served as a youth worker of the United Methodist periodical with the United Presbyterian Church, in Sierra Leone entitled Outlook. has also been active in voluntary We pray that God will enable us Christian work in the New York City to give of our best in all our en­ area, and had much experience in deavors. " I can do all things through social work. We were married in Christ who strengthens me" (Phil­ New York City in December 1975 lipians 4:13). and began our work in Sierra Leone Ron and Velma Mitchell the following month. We are excited about the possi­ bi I ities of making contributions to the Church in Sierra Leone. Africa is presently going through a rapid transition. It is caught in between traditional African values and mod­ ern values. With this are great problems from rapid urbanization. These conflicts therefore present a new challenge for the Church in Africa. We believe that God has called us to share in confronting this challenge. We have been assigned different responsibil ities mostly relating to youth work in the Freetown area. Together, we are involved in leading a program for young people at the United Methodist Urban (Commu­ nity) Centre. The program, called the " Young People's Get-together," meets three times a week and in- pleted high school through the ministers. This means that for every Methodist College (closed since 1973 minister, there are five lay preachers due to la ck of teachers), some who must fill in every Sunday. For private schools in homes, or by more information about our Belize­ going to the United States . The aver­ Honduras District, see the May, 1976 CHURCH age income per person on Utila is issue of New World Outlook with a 750 dollars a year, compared to 325 story on Belize. CHALLENGE dollars per person on the mainland. Boo, Phyllis an d Rachel Hankins However, since most things are im­ [They have returned to the United IN HONDURAS ported by plane or boat, the cost of States for medical rea sons.] living is higher here. There is no real industry in Utila. Many husbands HEALTH Since our arrival in Utila, we have and fathers work on ships or boats hardly had time to catch our breath! to earn money. Therefore, they are PLANNING The Monday night general class absent much of the time. There are meeting has been discontinued in a few hotels and lodges and small IN KOREA favor of the individual classes meet­ shops, which are the only businesses. ing at different times during the The town generator finally quit week. A junior class was started for altogether, and we're awaiting one The past two years have been the youth with Phyllis acting as a from New Orleans. This means not special for me as it has been a time leader, along with another parent. only is there no electricity (except of intensive work and study in the Several of these youhg people have for the few like us who have genera- field of public health and preventive expressed a desire to become full tors), but there is no running water medicine. Under the policy of our members of the church. Praise the either. During dry spells, many peo- Board of Global Ministries, which Lord! Boo will soon begin a con­ pie have to buy water when their allows women as well as men the firmation training class for those who cisterns go dry. opportunity of advanced stu dy, I are interested. In addition, there has Many of you may have heard was given a grant which is to be been the formation of a weekly about Honduras because of the news " repaid" simply by remaining in Bible study which meets here at the of the conflict between this country se rvice a yea r for each $1 ,000 bor- Mission House on Thursday night, and El Salvador. There is always the rowed. Since Charlie is so happily which we take turns teaching. Added possibility of the two countries going and fruitfully situated in his work at to that, we are each teaching a Sun­ to war again, but at least for the the Seminary, I elected to attend day school class of young people. a Korean university instead of one presen t th ey seem t o h ave reac h e d We have been learning a lot about some agreement over their border in the U.S.A., and with strength that the background and history of our dispute. Even in such a conflict there could only have come from God, people here. The Bay Islands were is little danger of the islands be- was enabled to study in two Ian- a part of the British Empire during coming involved directly. guages and direct the Korean NCC the 18th and 19th centuries as a Family Planning Program as well. result of the activities of English At this time of year, we are in the When, at last, the exams on the pirateers and adventurers. Around hurricane season, which poses more thesis were over, I felt, " Today is the time of the American Civil War, real threat than anything else. The like a big package and it's finally they were ceded to the Republic of memories and fears of Hurricane Christmas!" Honduras (the major islands being Fifi are still very vivid among our Relief from being overscheduled Roatan, Utila, and Guanaja). Con­ people. (During September 1974, the is great, but, as you know, the sequently, the majority of people are eye of Fifi passed directly over the bless ings of worthwhile daily work English-speaking descendants of the islands, striking the mainland of are greater. In our interdenomina- British pirates, with some Black Honduras, killing and injuring thou- tional family planning program, Caribs or a mixture of the two. There sands of people. While the islands there are now 464 church women is also a minority of Spanish "Hon­ escaped loss of life, there was very volunteers trained to visit in their duranians" as they are known here, much property damage.) Because of own communities to counsel about and some descendants of Maya that, and the earth tremors felt dur- matters of faith, of health for mother Indians. Almost all of our church ing the Guatemala earthquake, our and child, and of bitth control. Also, people speak English; many speak people are easily excited about re- they distribute about 15,000 cycles both Spanish and English, due to the ports of storms, hurricanes or war. of oral contraceptives per month at government Spanish school, grades This is a tremendous opportunity for highly subsidized prices to low-in- one through six (the only public us as Christians to witness to the come families. school here now). A few people power of Jesus Christ to deliver men Both the counseling and the grad- speak only Spanish. Just a note about from fears of every kind. uate course have made me more the English spoken here. It has a We are beginning to sense the aware that Korea's health problems distinctive Utilian accent, somewhat real need in the Methodist Church are formidable. Probably the great- British ot Irish to our ears. There in the Caribbean and the Americas est needs are for medical care in are also many old English words still for trained Christian leaders. In our rural areas and for low-income peo- in use from the 1700's. The average circuit, which is representative of pie. A study done by Dr. Sung Kwan Utilian has had approximately six the conference as a whole, there are Lee in a rural township in 1975 re- years of school. A minority has com- twelve churches and two ordained veals that 30 percent of the persons New World Outlook • February 1977 (95) 41 who needed medical care that year toilet construction, and contami­ had none at all ; most of the remain­ nated drinking water account for ing 70 percent had low standard much of this misery. There are 45 help, with more than half of them species of parasites in Korea! It is "Estimates of what in going to the local drug store for not necessary to be subjected to is r every kind of ailment. Fortunately, their ravages which can cause any­ percentage the Korean government, for the first thing from a tummy ache to epilepsy of the illness in Korea time in history, has taken an interest to death. Recently we heard that a tic in planning for a more adequate Baptist missionary child had to have is preventable se health care delivery system . In so brain surgery to remove an encysted doing, they are examining health parasite; miraculously, he is now range from projects begun and/or being carried well and strong. 60 percent on by missionaries to help determine The problems and the causes be­ future patterns. hind them remain; it will require a to 85 percent." When it comes to adequate medi­ process of education to develop cal care, both curative and preven­ them. This is aptly expressed in a tive, Korean women and children Chinese lesson cited in Social Policy are especially slighted. Pre- and post­ in Developing Countries, by Arthur tr natal care are practically non-ex­ Livingstone : istent. In country areas, 95 percent " If you give a man a fish, he will ill of the babies are born at home, in eat once. itself not a serious problem; but the "If you teach a man to fish, he fact that only about 10 percent of will eat for the rest of his life. SI the people who deliver the babies " If you are thinking a year ahead, se have any professional training is a sow seed . cause for concern. Tetanus in the " If you are thinking ten years newborn is a common occurrence, ahead, plant a tree. for most cords are cut with un­ " If you are thinking a hundred sterilized equipment; moreover, the years ahead, educate the people." death rate for mothers in childbirth May the Lord bless you as you is quite high. think ahead and pass on the best you Estimates of what proportion of know to others; the very best is al­ the illness in Korea is preventable ways a personal knowledge of Him range from 60 percent to 85 percent. and His will. The use of untreated night soil , poor Elva and Charlie Harper 42 [ 96] New World Outlook • February 1977 - - - unknown future is refreshing. Not con­ been w ritten originally to inform Japa­ - tent to let the last decade rewrite the nese friends about the situation in history of religion in America, the au­ Korea. We are indebted to Sekai _..._ , .._ thor, in questions and brief comments, (World) Magazine for originally pub­ .... ~ - gives a rather optimistic expectation to lishing them as they appeared and later the role of religion in America's future. ma ki ng them avai lab le in book form. ..._ The concluding statement on the An excellent translation by David L. .. ~""- . Geography of American Religion is a Swain has fi nally made them avai lable good brush stroke word picture of the to the En glish-speaking world. 1970's. It, along with other materials in As an expatriate missio nary w ho has HISTORICAL ATLAS OF RELIGION IN Part 111 , are useful commentaries of the been a direct pa rticipan t in the eve nts AMERICA, Revised Edition by Edwin present scene. and si tu ations T. K. so touchingly de­ Scott Gaustad. New York, 1976: Harper While the book did not live up to scribes, the revi ewer fi nds it vi rtually and Row, 189 pages, $20.00. all my expectations, it is a good book impossi ble to be objective about the worthy of a place in one's personal book. In fact, the book itself is highly A revi sed ed ition of a book is like reference library. It can be used in subjective and the subjectiveness is at warmed-over stew. If the original in­ teaching courses in church school. It least part of its charm . T. K. co nstantly gredients are good, it can be better the may be useful in providing a brief fall s victi m to the sa me ki nd of wishful second time around. On the other hand, synopsis of a denomination. Its biblio­ th inking that all of us w ho have been if in the warming one ingredient is graphic listings are worth the price here have experienced. missing, all the flavor is lost and the alone. While it tends to be a bit dis­ Christian s must rea d this book fo r second meal is not as satisfying as ex­ jointed by odd placements of maps and several rea sons, not the least of which, pected. charts, it does give a picture of religion in spite of depress ing accoun ts of trial, It is somewhere between these feel­ in America. That is what it said it would to rture, harass ment, infi ltra tion of wor­ ings that the Revised Edition of the do. ship services and even sen seless execu­ Atlas gave this reviewer. The work in Douglas W . Johnson tions, is its inspiration. Th roughout, th e the original Atlas is worth looking at He is executive director, Institute for Christians maintain a commitment, a carefully. It provides the visual elements devotion and even a sen se of humor of history, something not often gotten Church Development, Inc., Ridgewood, N. J. w hi ch uplifts those around them and from textbooks. In the charts and maps draws fellow sufferers to Christ. The of Part I, Gaustad provides for the book is not only descriptive and in­ reader, serious student or casual pe­ LETTERS FROM SOUTH KOREA, by T. K. Edited by Sekai. Translated by formative, but in its desc riptions of ruser, a pictorial history of religion in Christian groups willing to support a David L. Swain. New York, 1976: IDOC/ America. The treatment of the early dictatorial regime for a price, is theo­ North America, 428 pp.; $7.95. Catholic outposts is excellent and one logically valuable. T. K. wrestles w ith that many Protestant clergy could use Two struggles resolve around this the problem of how a co nservative, in refreshing their memories that plural­ Korean peninsular nation today. One evangelical pa stor, for exam ple, can be­ ism is not new but was prevalent in the involves the expenditure of millions and come compassio nately concerned with early colonies and territories. millions of precious dollars earned by the plight of oppressed slu m-dwellers The disappointment in the new edi­ the sweat of the Korean people in a and thus earn the wrath of an indignant tion focussed on Part II. This is the frantic effort to convince the world that government which would prefer to have section in which the updating or re ­ it is a valid government. Self-justifica­ us believe that the sl um-dwellers don't vision is most evident. It is supposed to tion is a game which any dictatorship exist. bring the reader from 1800 to 1975. The seeking world favor must play with American citizens must read the book narrative provides data which do bring fierce determination. Staunch state­ whether they are Christian or not, to the material up to the present. The ments of support of the Park regime by lean what their lives and their dollars major pictorial revisions, however, have U.S. government officials in which the have produced and what they are still been in the form of line graphs show­ oppression of human rights has either supporting with over 40,000 troops. ing membership figures. Missing in the been justified or negated, are finally Hopefully, they w ill come aw ay with a body of the book are maps similar to beginning to ring a bit hollowly as word sense of both abhorrence and an ger the 1950 and 1960 denominational dis­ comes down from on high that a good over what a greedy dictator has done tribution by county. The pictures of many of the above-mentioned. dollars to a great people, but al so w ith an change are not there. have ended up in the pockets of those abiding appreciation of the rem arkable The attraction of a book like this is very same staunch supporters. spirit of the Korean people themselves its picture portrayals of movement and The second struggle is much quieter, whose longing for j ustice survives intact. change. While this is evident through considerably less flamboyant and re­ There is one serious fa ul t with the 1960, it is not done beyond that in markably more heroic. It is the struggle book. It ends too soon. The accounts similar fashion. For a person like my­ of a relatively small group of Korean begin in January of 1973, immediately self who reads pictures, it was some­ people, most of whom are conservative after Park Chung-Hee had installed what disappointing. Two large fold-out Christians whose comprehension of the himself as presi dent of life and con­ maps are included in a pocket at the compassionate Christ has produced a tinue through June of 1975. An ex­ end of the book. These give a gnat's devotion to justice and freedom. It is tremely valuable postscript by Geo rge eye view of change and must be put this struggle which is so vividly and Ogle, himself a victim of the Park gov­ beside maps already in the book. They movingly brought to life by the mys­ ernment w hen he w as deported from are not easily used and require either terious T. K. , a first person participant Korea in December, 1974 after 20 years a wall or a large desk for study. whom the Korean government would of service as a Uni ted Methodist mis­ Some changes are quite helpful. The dearly love to identify. sionary for ma ki ng public a government use of county line maps gives a detail The book is perhaps more meaning­ fabrica tion agai nst innocent men-an which is helpful in this edition. The ful for never having been intended as incident described thoroughly in the perspective of the author as he uses the a book in the first place. The " Letters" book, is a great help in both explain­ past as a spring board for looking at an are precisely that and seem to have ing and updating the situation, but New World Outlook • Febru•ry 19n [97] 43 events have conti nued at a dizzying A WORD ABOUT MOON At this time when the Moon Unification pace. Both a former president of the na­ IA!tfen tion and a former presi denti al candidate Church is making its impact on America it (both outstanding Christian laymen) may be of interest to your readers to have have recently been sen tenced to long more information on which to evaluate this cult. A carefully researched documentary prison terms. We hope an d tru st that slide-tape set has been prepared by KAVCO T. K. re mains a myste ry to the Korean in Korea, the land of Mr. Moon's origin. government, and that he is sti ll record­ PRESBYTERIANS AND A.l.M. Further information can be obtained by ing his impressi ons of w hat is happen­ writing to: Rev. Yong Jum Kim, Director, I feel compelled to write and correct a • ing for his Japanese friends. Korea Audio-Visual Commission, 136 Yon very small error in your very excellent mag­ Gene Matthews Chi Dong, Chong No ku , Seoul, Korea 110. az ine that I enjoy reading each month. Robert G. Sauer He is a United Methodis t mis sionary in In the November, 1976 issue, on the first Seoul, Korea Korea. page of Mission Memo, news reports, in the bottom paragraph under Presbyterians, R A CANTERBURY TALE, Experiences and it says, regarding the National Committee BISHOP PIKE'S CONTRIBUTION Je Reflections 1916-1976, by John Cogley. on the Self-Development of People, of Just a note of appreciation for your re­ Ur New York, 1976: The Seabury Press, 126 which I am a member: "the committee view of the Bishop Pike book (November pages, $8.95. turned down a request for $50,000 from the issue) . I agree with your evaluation of the American Indian Movement." The dust jacket of this book de­ disconcerting arrangement of its contents. It would be more accurate to state: " the scri bes John Cogley as " the most promi­ Even so, the book is valuable. Pike's life and committee returned . ..." nent American Roman Catholic journal­ contribution were towering. And your re­ The proposal from A.1.M. was several view was sensitive and most helpful. ist of his generation." That is true years old, and was no longer a relevant enough as far as it goes, but it over­ (Bishop) James Armstrong proposal so far as anyone from our com­ Aberdeen, South Dakota looks two important facts. First, Cogley mittee could determine. We chose to re­ wl w as considerably more than simply a turn it to those who wrote it. 1511 Perhaps in the future some member of journalist-his associations with the COMMITIED TO ISRAEL th Catholic Worker movement, his involve­ A.l.M. or some similar organization will an Your editorial in December New World ment in the blacklisting study for the apply for funds. Perhaps no further ;ipplica­ tion will ever be made. Outlook, with every statement, is pro-Arab. Fund for the Republic, as an adviser to Ci The Self-Development Committee is will­ A Christian recognizes his heritage and jo John Kennedy during his presidential ing to listen to any group who sincerely is tradition, which is Hebrew, Jewish, Israeli. campaign , and his service as a fellow of seeking " self-development" assistance. We The United States is committed to Israel c the Cen ter for the Study of Democratic do choose to fund some, and turn down as a nation. The Holy Land is not all that Instituti ons-all point to a wider ca­ some. Our Committee seeks to minister to was Biblical, but the present Holy Land, ree r than that of most journalists. human needs in our nation and world as which includes all from Dan to Beersheba Secondly, Cogley happened to be a one arm of the Church. I am excited about and from the Jordan River to the Mediter­ pa rt of that generation where the di­ our work, and firmly believe that it is an ranean Sea. Any partition of that much ground-150 miles from north to south viding walls between rel igious com­ exciting part of the Gospel. I rejoice that the Church makes it possible for us to use and 25-50 miles from east to west-would munities in the United States began to funds responsibly to enable groups to build annihilate Israel. We do not need any more come down. It would seem unthinkable their self esteem and dignity. East and West and North and South parti· now to care greatly whether the re­ (Rev.) Richard K. Gibson tions in the world. The no-man's land be­ ligion editor of The New York Times Mountlake Terrace, Washington tween the Arab countries and the Nation was a Roman Catholic or not. But when of Israel, is a buffer zone to prevent sur­ Cogley was given that position, it was a EXCELLENT ARTICLE prise attacks and harassments against matter of some moment. I just read your excellent, interpretive Israel. Israel does not act ungodly toward Finally, and more personally, for article on the 13th World Methodist Con­ the Arabs. The Allah of Arabs is a war god, according to the Koran . The Bible is those who knew him, John was a warm, ference in the November issue of New p open to all-the Koran is a forbidden book. lovable and fascinating man, an orig­ World Outlook. I want to thank you for cl this solid piece of journalism. Since the Arabs do not recognize Israel, inal. Israel does not dare put her back to the c Th is little book, written shortly be­ Joe Hale co Lake Junaluska, North Carolina wall. There is no wall but obliteration. fore his untimely death last year, con­ Jerusalem .is the property of God, not of He is general secretary, World Methodist veys the essential facts of this life story, Allah. Israel is God's chosen people. Arabs sp Council. interspersed with a series of "reflec­ have their rights where they stay. N Arab land is for Arabs, not for Israel. tions" about the author's spiritual prog­ APPRECIATED BOOK REVIEW p ress, culminating in his decision to join Israel land is for Israelis not for Arabs. But fio Often I am writing notes to New World the Episcopal Church. Unfortunately, a Israelis are not welcome or safe in Arab Outlook in criticism for content and posi­ countries. Arabs are welcome and safe in combination of circumstances (modesty re tion. But I really appreciated the book re­ Israel. The Bible is the authority for all the and illness being among them) keep view in the October 1976 issue on the world. Koran is for Arabs exclusively. If the A this from being the full account that People & Systems Packet. I was not im­ Arabs claim Bible persons, they will recog­ m Cogley admirers would w ish for. pressed with the biased stance of all the nize Bible Land. u The early chapters, dealing with his materials. I am not a known flag waver but Arabs have always fought to win by boyhood and youth, perhaps communi­ as long as I have brothers and sisters being proselyte work. For 1,300 years they have cate best the flavor of the author's per­ persecuted in Communist countries I will given the world trouble. The Arabs are as sonality. His wry, affectionate account never believe they have anything to offer. racist (religious) as Israel. For the Arabs of the Catholic Worker in its early days Of course they are " liberal" toward women are nations as much as Israel is a nation - in some areas. It is advantageous to the is alone enough to make reading the (Israel is a nation as much as Arabs are party to have women not interested in nations). book a pleasure. ti family life but there are no women in the Maps should show today, not before But this is quibbling by someone who upper ranks of any of the Communist 19671 Israel is Israel all over Israel land! th1 wanted more. As it is, this is a remark­ parties . Jerusalem is Jerusalem, Israel not occupied frc able man telling his story of a fascinat­ Thank you for the just review. Arab land. "d ing life. Karen Burroughs Rev. T. A. Coleman th A.J.M . Vale, Oregon Boaz, Alabama 44 (98 ] New World Outlook • February 19" on it Ve 1i1 uy THE llOYIMG :o FIMGER WRITES by lr, in 0. MOON'S CHURCH HIT AS 'ANTI-CHRISTIAN' Despite recent public denial s by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, Christian and Jewish leaders have denounced his

~ Unification Church as " anti-Christian, er anti-Semitic and anti-democratic. " 1e The charges were made at a press l. conference by officials of the American d Jewish Committee, the National Council of Churches (NCC) and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. Statements and supportive evidence were offered by the Christian and Jew­ ish groups as " empirical evidence" that the Moon movement is a " deceptive" and " dangerous" organization. This is the first time in New York City that the three major fa iths have joined in attacking the Unification Church. However, Dr. Jorge Lara-Braud, execu­ tive director of the NCC's Commission on Faith and Order, said similar unified fronts have been publicly expressed across the nation in " more than 100 communities" and also worldwide. Father James J. LaBar, county coordi­ nator of the Office of Communications, New York archdiocese, said the Moonies have become widely known as controversial figures ; but the public has very little factual information about them. He expressed the hope that ma ss ive public information will be provided to clarify the doctrines of the Unification Church and show specifically how they conflict with accepted Christian beliefs . Father LaBar said a fi ve-member speakers bureau is now available at the New York archdiocese to speak to parish and other groups about the Uni­ fication Church. Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum, national di­ rector of interreligious affairs of the American Jewish Committee and ch ai r­ man of the meeting, charged that the Unification Church is deceptive when it projects itself as a religion of " love and reconciliation." He said the Unification Church is divisive and " contributes to teachin g anti-Jewish, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, RNS Photo and fundamentally anti-democratic at­ LITU RGY CELEBRATED AT ORTHODOX CONFERENCE titudes." Rabbi Tanenbaum charged th at CHAMBESY, Switzerland- In top photo, Metropolitan Meliton (center, at altar) and heads the Moon organization uses some " 60 of delega tions from Ea stern O rthodox Patriarchates and Churches celebrate a Hierarchical front groups" in the nation and uses Divine Liturgy in the chapel of the Orthodox Center at Chambesy, Switzerland, during the " deception and untruth" to " penetrate p re-Synod O rthodox conference. Below, Metropolitan Meliton, who, as dean of the Holy the Jewish community." Synod of the Ecumenica l Patriarchate, presided over the conference which planned the Rabbi Tanenbaum cited a Moon agenda for the upcoming Great Synod of Eastern Orthodoxy, addresses the gathering. New World Outlook • February 19n [99) 45 group calling itself Judaism in Service to the World which reportedly worked in San Francisco, " presenting themselves as a Jewish group and offering a $1 ,000 contribution to the Jewish community" in an apparent attempt to gain an entry to the community. Rabbi A. James Rudin, assis tan t direc­ tor of the American Jewish Committee's Department of lnterreligious Affairs, sa id CHRISTIAN MISSION doW a " line by line analysis of the 536-page UNDER cipa Divine Principle (basic text of the Uni­ by l fica tion Church) shows 125 hos tile anti­ AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENTS atter Jewish sta tements." 2,39 He sai d the Moon organiza tion per­ May 3-6, 1977 ship petuates such canards as " the entire Tt Jewish people betrayed, rejected and Speakers: dro~ crucified Jesus ; Jewish suffering an d Tc persecution through the present day are A working conference on Chris­ Jose Miguez Bonino th e punishment for the collective sin of the ti an discipleship in relation to John Howard Yoder 820, Christ-killers; God's heritage has been political power, with special ref­ Thomas Stransky, C.S.P. taken away from the Jewish people." erence to Chile, South Korea, Letty Russell Dr. Lara -Braud, referring to the work­ East Germany, Ethiopia, and the ing paper on the Moon movemen t of Arne Sovik the Commission on Faith and Order, United States. Joseph O'Hare, S.J. declared that Mr. Moon's doctrines Getatchew Haile " deny the classic Christian understand- Frederick Bronkema ing of Jesus Christ" by depicting Him Alfred Krass as a " failed Messiah, half-savio r w ho Sponsored by the Overseas Min­ istries Study Center in coopera­ Choan-Seng Song saved us spiritually but not bodily." William Pannell " Let us not be deceptive, let us be tion with IDOC/North America, more honest," Dr. Lara-Braud sai d, dis­ Maryknoll Mission Institute, and Jim Wallis puting the Unification Church's cl ai m to Lutheran World Federation De­ Joan Chatfield, M.M. be a " Christian Ch urch ." He held that partment of Studies. Joseph Holland the Unification Ch urch is " at best a Nora Q. Boots post-Christian movement." Joel Gajardo Father LeBar said Mr. Moon's " teach ­ Registration: Sang Jung Park ings are in direct conflict with Catholic $40 plus room and meals theology and, therefore, render this Paul Wee movement suspect for Catholic partici- Simon Smith, S.J. pation." Orlando Costas He referred to the list of 62 " front organizations of the Unification Ch urch" For applications and further information, write to: included as part of the information Gerald H. Anderson, Di rector packet on th e Moonies by the arch­ Norman A. Horner, Associate Director diocese. " It is interes ting to note that the Unification Ch urch resorts to such methods," Fath er La Bar said . " If their •~a.r OVERSEAS MINISTRIES STUDY CENTER teachings an d practices were that at­ tractive, why would there be need to ....._.. BULLETIN OF MISSIONARY RESEARCH hide behind such fronts, which often ~ ~;~::~:,~~ ~~~CCASIONAL deny any association with Sun Myung Moon an d his followers?" One member of th e Unification Church was pres ent at the press con- ment on behalf of all the ma in speak- other forms of religious and racial ference an d made a short rebuttal from ers, called on Mr. Moon for a " compre- bigotry, we call upon Rev. Moon to the floor at the close of the question hensive and systematic removal of all stop replanting and reinfecting these and answer period. He was Shawn negative and hostile references to Jews poisonous weeds which so many faith­ Byrne, 38, who identified himself as a and Judaism and to Christians and ful people have labored over decades Catholic priest formerly from I re l and Christianity w hich abound in the Divine to uproot." and now working as coordinator of in- Principle . . ." (RNS) terfaith activities for the Unification He concluded : 'In light of the fact Church here. that all major Chris tian bodies and re- UMC MEMBERSHIP DOWN, Mr. Byrne denied the charges of ligious authorities-from Vatican II to CHURCH ATTENDANCE UP anti-Semitism and anti-Christian atti- the World and National Counci ls of Membership in the United Methodist tudes and said he joined th e Unifica- Churches, to Dr. Billy Graham, to the Church in the United States and Puerto tion Church because he believed it So uthern Bap tist Convention- have un- Rico is now 9,861 ,028, the denomina­ offered the greatest possibility for world ambiguously repudiated these anti- tion's sta tistical office said December unity and serving God's ideals. Jew ish canards, and major Jewi sh 23. Rabbi Tanenbaum, in a closing state- bodies have rejected anti-Christian and The new figure, based on calendar 46 [100] New World Outlook • Februu y 1977 - 1975, is a decrease of 96,682 from the valu e of church bu ildings and other Films previous year, or .97 per cent, the property w as estimated at $8,375,173,- A most unique travel adventure series lowest such decline in recent years. 427, an increase of $707,864,718. sponsored by The Council on lntercul­ Not included in this report are ap­ Of the expenditures, $209,993,715 tu ral Relations, Inc. For 28 yea rs the proximately 350,000 United Methodist was paid to pastors in sal aries, an in­ Pres ident, Dr. David Brya n, has person­ members in Africa, As ia and Europe. crease of $15 ,464,422. Giving to benev­ ally accompanied every group. We offer Also not included are some 1,500,000 olent cau ses totaled some $138,715,900, so me very unusual adva ntages. Before preparatory mambers in the U.S. an incre ase of almost $8,661 ,000. you make any plans, see our folders. Although the membership total is (UMC) Ch eck your interes t and w rite : down, average attendance at the prin­ 0 AROUND-TH E-WORLD ADVENTURE-July 12- cipal weekly worship services climbed Aug. 15, 1977. Return via Holy Lan d or U.S.S.R. by 22,141 to 3,643 ,138. Church school 0 SIBERIA-MONGOLIA ADVENTUR E-Sept. 7- attendance, however, declined 48,038 to 0ct. 6, 1977. Cross U.S.5.R. to Japan by Trans-Siberian R.R. 2,393,597, and church school member­ 0 AFRICA ADVENTURE-Nov. 6-29, 1977. ship decreased 120,180 to 4,654,211 . 0 CENTRAL AMERICA ADVENTURE & NEW The number of organized churches YEAR 'S PARTY-Dec. 26- Jan . 5, 1976. 0 SOUTH AMERICA ADVENTURE-Feb. 4-25 , dropped by 232 to 38,795. 1976. Total expenditures for all causes in Write: Dr. David M. Bryan the denomination reached $1 ,081 ,082,- P.O. Box 4551-F, Topeka, Kan­ 820, an increase of $71,312,016. The sas 66604

PICTURE PACKETS for Mimeo or Offset

SAMUEL M. CAVERT IS DEAD AT 88 Dr. Samuel McCrea Cavert, the first general secretary of the National Coun­ cil of Churches and a leader in the ecumenical movement for more than half a century, died of heart failure Get this bi& valu1ble collectlon of 1or1eous, multl· --·-...11 colored, trian1 le·shaped post.ace stamps- broueht to The 1976 General Confer­ December 21 at Lawrence Hospital in you from strence and mysterious lands in the wilds of Africa , ench1ntin1 Europe, uotic Or ient, Con10 , ence said $83,672,000 is Bronxville, N.Y., after a long illness. He Monaco, Chad , Sin Mar ino , M1l1y1, many others - ships, birds , an imals, 1irpl1nes, etc. All for 1 0( Also , needed annually for the next was 88. fine stimps from our 1pprov1I ser"lce whi ch you may return without purchases ind cance l service at 1ny four years as the minimum Dr. Cavert served as general secretary t ime - plus nu lllustnted Cataloa. Send today! of the National Council of Churches Jam es town Sump Co mpa ny response United Methodists Dept. H27RH , Jam ostow n, Naw Yor k 14701 should make as our share of a from its founding in 1950 until 1954 worldwide Christian ministry of when he became executive secretary of love. the World Council of Churches. He re- tired from that post in 1958. cil before becom ing its chief executive This figure represents our total Earlier, Dr. Cavert was for 20 years offi cer. benevolence program and the chief executive officer of the Fed - In 1933 and 1935, Dr. Cavert visited may seem staggering. Yet it eral Council of Churches, a predecessor Germany to study the problems facing represents less than the price of the National Council. The National the chu rc hes after the ri se of Hitler. He of a soft drink weekly for each Council of Churches has 30 member was a member of the committee that United Methodist. Little Protestant and Orthodox communions prepared the plan for the World Coun- enough to offer as we minister and is the nation's largest ecumenical cil of Churches in 1937 and pa rticipated in Christ's name in this and 60 organization. in the 1938 conference at which the other nations. Dr. Cavert began his ecumenical ca- organization's co nstitu ti on was drafted . For more specific information reer in 1918 when he was named as- Dr. Cavert served on the Provisional about our benevolence sistant secretary of the General War- Committee of the World Council of programs write: time Commission of the Churches, Churches from 1938 until the Council which supervised the work of U.S. mili- was inaugurated in 1948. tary chaplains. He later entered the As the first representative of Ameri- United Methodist Army as a chaplain. In 1919, he became can chu rches to visit Europe after the Communications secretary of the Committee on the War U.S. had en tered World War 11 , Dr. and the Religious Outlook of the Fed - Cavert in 1942 helped plan a World 1200 Davis St eral Council of Churches. He also setved Council of Churches' program for relief Evanston, Ill. 60201 as associate secretary and as one of two and reconstruction. general secretaries of the Federal Coun- In 1946, D r. Cavert was appointed by New World Outlook • February 19n [ 101 ] 4 7 the Secretary of War to serve as Prot­ estant liaison officer between the U.S. On Johns Island, off the coast of South Carolina, 70% of the residents do not military government in Germany and read or write. Many speak "Gullah," a dialect begun by slaves and handed the German churches. down to present residents. Learning English is a major goal for children, as During World War 11 , he was ap­ -adu lt employment will depend on this skill. The church is at the center of the pointed by President Roosevelt to the Johns Island black community, serving the res idents of this most neglected Advisory Committee on Political Refu­ and desperately poor area of the U.S. A new church-sponsored Child Care gees. He also served on the governing Ce.nter is projected, tripling the number now cared for in a sub-standard board of the U.S. Committee for the building. Th e people live on a sub-poverty level making outside help Care of European Children and the necessary 1f. the Center 1s to become a reality. Your help is needed today so board of directors of the United Ser­ tomorrow will be worth learning about and planning for. vice Organizations. Dr. Cavert was a life trustee of Union Theological Seminary and vice president of its board of directors and a trustee of Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, he was graduated summa cum /aude from Union College in 1910 and from Union Seminary in 1915. He also received a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1914. He was awarded a fellowship to study m1ss1on work T abroad and from 1916 until 1917 Studying ~ f travelled in India and Japan. II'~ Dr. Cavert held honorary doctorate to keep from y degrees from: Lawrence College (Wis­ d~ I mu consin), Union College, Yale University, to Princeton University, American Univer­ being part clo sity, Ohio Wesleyan University, the Uni­ he1 versity of Goettingen in Germany, Park ex1 wh College (Missou ri) and Kalamazoo Col­ Fr lege (Michigan). L He was ordained in The United Pres­ of the70% byterian Church in the United States of ~I alt America. Dr. Cavert was born Septem­ of ber 9, 1888 in Charlton, N.Y. Dr. Cavert was the author of a num­ h ber of books and articles including "The M American Churches in the Ecumenical s Movement" and "Church Cooperation p and Unity in America: 1900-1970." r· A check will help these U.S. citizen• 741445-1 I gr Dr. Cavert's first wife, Ruth Miller ... s ------read and apeak Engllah. I th Cavert, died in 1920. He is survived by I glf his wife, Twila Lytton Cavert of Bronx­ Clip this coupon Name lea ville, N.Y., a former professor of En­ I I m and mail with I glish literature and dean of women at I your check to: Address Lawrence College; a daughter, Mrs. National Division I Harold A. Ramsey of Schenectady, N.Y., Room 1439 Ciry State Zip----- I 4 75 Rive rside Dr. and Santee, S.C. ; two brothers, Dr. I New York, NY 10027 Church Annual Cont I William L. Cavert of St. Paul , Minne­ The United Methodist Child Support Program 1s a part ot the worldwide m1n1stry ol the Board ol Global M1ni1tnes:J sota, and the Rev. Walter D. Cavert of with all child care inshtut1ons approved as Advance Specials Auburn, N.Y.; and two grandsons, Wil­ L liam McCrea Ramsey of Chapel Hill, N.C., and Douglas Cavert Ramsey of ------Schenectady, N.Y. meeting. It will again be submitted at can Republic." He added that the the 1977 meeting. groups which sponsored the resolution CHURCH PUSH AT G&W MEETING Sponsors were the National Council were the " unwitting dupes of Fidel RECEIVES 6.5% OF THE VOTES of Churches, the Maryland Province of Castro's Cuba." A resolution calling on Gulf & West­ the Society of Jesus, and the Dominican NCC representatives replied that they ern Industries to disclose details of its Sisters of Adrian, Mich. A week before were not totally critical of the corpora­ operations in the Dominican Republic, the Gulf & Western meeting, the spon­ tion's operations in the Dominican Re­ sponsored by three religious agencies, sors circulated an open letter signed by public, and acknowledged that it has received 2.4 million stockholder votes- almost 100 prominent scholars and labor given $7 million to finance a variety of 6.5 per cent of the total-at the cor­ and religious leaders supporting the educational and medical enterprises in poration's annual meeting in Dallas in resolution. the Latin American country. But they December. Gulf & Western Chairman Charles G. stressed that the Gulf & Western sugar Last year, a similar resolution was Bludhorn drew applause when he ac­ operations pay very low wages despite given about a million votes--4.13 per cused the NCC of being "servants to a its more than $200 million in assets in cent-which made it possible for the bunch of demagogues whose only pur­ the Dominican Republic. sponsors to resubmit it at the 1976 pose is to chase us out of the Domini- Timothy Smith, director of the NCC's 48 [102] New World Outlook • February 1977 .... Interfaith Center on Corporate Respon­ si bility, accused Mr. Bludhorn of usi ng " McCarthyite tactics," and complained that he had made a " cheap shot" against the groups that sponsored the resolution. During the meeting, Mr. Smith also attempted to comment on a Gulf & Western mining venture in South Africa as a preface to a question. An attorney for the corporation told him repeatedly to ask the question or sit down, and he finally asked, " Do you feel Guif & West­ ern can follow its principles of democ­ racy in a country where apartheid is the law of the land?" Mr. Bludhorn replied that Zulu Chief Gatsha Buthelezi had endorsed the mining project as good for his people, and Gulf & Western President Davi d N. Judelson stressed that the corporation does not endorse racial separation. Then Comes the Joy ABINGDON LARGE-PRINT One stockholder repeatedly asked the MARY VIRGINIA PARRISH felt her EDITIONS identity of the foreign country where false sense of self-sufficiency shatter for easy readlltg when her newborn son died. For Gulf & Western has reportedly made years she had worked in the church and The Soul's Sincere Desire questionable payments of $416,000. "I'm done all the "right things." Her GLENN CLARK learned to pray as not going to debate it," Mr. Judelson mind recognized the fact of the his­ naturally as he breathed. A leader in and said. "We won't divulge this until we torical Jesus, but her heart remained founder of the Camps Farthest Out closed to his presence in her life. Join spiritual retreat movement, he shares are legally told we must." her in an exciting search for a personal methods which help Christians attain a Mr. Smith said after the meeting that experience with God-an adventure total type of prayer life-a deepening the vote on the Dominican Republic which took her to Glenn Clark, of consciousness of Absolute Joy, resolution was "very encouragi ng." He Absolute Love, Absolute Gratitude, and Frank Laubach, and other great teachers. added that it indicates that "share­ Learn as she learns to pray, dis­ above all, Absolute Oneness with the covers the presence of God, is filled Father. A Christian cl assic. $6 .95 holders are increasingly stating that they with and taught by the Holy Spirit, and feel Gulf & Western has not been open attains the selfless freedom of a child The Mature Heart enough regarding its operations in the of the King! $3 .75, paper HELEN EMMONS offers suggestions Dominican Republic." n This Moment for keeping pace in spiritual growth with (RNSl I the passi ng years. She encourages Minute Meditations for joy, boldness, and optimistic seeking Spiritual Strength out of ways to live in harmony with our PAT A. BAKER provides 150 brief, conditions through the guidance of PRESBYTERIANS BUY growth-oriented devotioµs especially the Holy Spirit. 150 meditations. $6.95 STONY POINT MOC I suited for daily "quiet times." She takes at your cokesbury bookstore The board of directors of the Stony the beginning seeker through pro- b• d Point Mission Orientation Center has I gressive devotional experiences which a 1ng on lead to the joy of full Christian commit- the book pub lishing deportment of voted to accept the offer of the United I ment. $4.95 ...------the united methodist publishing house Presbyterian Church to purchase the 27 acre fa cility for $1 .25 million. I The center will be available to the whole constituency of the church for I conferences and study and the denomi­ I nation's Program Agency plans a series of programs there for education in mis­ I sion. In addition, the center will be used as a place for orientation of mis­ sionaries on their way overseas, for per­ e sonnel who come to this country for service or study, and as a residence for n missionaries on furlough and Christian ?I leaders and scholars from around the world. Funds for the purchase of the prop­ erty have come from restricted sources, chief among them being the sale of the Kennedy House apartments in New York City. The purchase of this apart­ ment complex and the establishment of the Kennedy Endowment Fund had been made possible by a gift to the United Presbyterian Church from the estate of the late Mrs. Emma Kennedy, whose will stipulated that the monies New World Outlook • February 1977 [103) 49 be used to provide housing for mission­ discussed at a private and unofficial " At present such enthusiasm seemed aries on furlough. conference of leaders of the two to be lacking, but many speakers The balance of the $1 .25 million will churches at Lincoln College, Oxford, pointed out that the cool attitude in come from equity the denomination al­ U.K. the churches was to be expected in view ready has in the center, a grant from The last such conference was held in of the national mood of depression." the Gilmor-Sloane Endowment, and a 1973 and that was in the context of the The Churches' Unity .Commission was loan from the Ken nedy En dowment fa ilure of negotiations for reunion be­ set up in October 1974 on the initiative Fu nd which is to be repaid over a period tween the two churches the previous of the United Reformed church, which of 25 years from proceeds real ized from year. had been created two years earlier the operation of the center. This latest conference revolved through merger of the Congregational " W e consi der ourselves very fortu­ around the Ten Propositions for unity Church in England and Wales and the nate to acqui re this valuable property," published by the Churches' Unity Com­ Presbyterian Church of England. said the Rev. G. Dan iel Li ttle, executive mission (CUC) last January and now (RNSl director of the denomination's General being discussed by all major British Assembly M iss ion Council. " Essentially, churches, including the Roman Catho­ what we have done is to use the equity lic church. we had in the Kennedy Apartments to The Ten Propositions ask the partici­ acqu ire a facility which will enable us pating churches to join in a covenant to conduct a signifi cant program of to seek visible unity and press for ac­ ~ benefit to the whole church and at the tion, particularly about inter-commu­ same time conti nue to honor our com­ nion, agreement on baptism and mutual ~ mitment to provide housing for mission­ recognition of ministries. The Church The Protestant monastic com­ aries on furlough." of England General Synod has accepted The Stony Point Center was given to nine of the Propositions but has asked munity at Taize, France was the Board of Foreign Missions of the the CUC for clarification with particu­ founded at the close of World War Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. by lar reference to two points: that all the II to seek contemporary forms of the Gilmor-Sloane family in 1949. It covenanting churches should become spirituality. In the last several episcopally ordered in continuity with was used as a missionary education years, is has become greatly in­ center until 1959, when the Mission the historic episcopate and that agree­ Orientation Center Corporation was ment should be reached on means volved in work with youth. Norman formed with five other denominations whereby mutual recognition of minis­ E. Thomas, a missionary who has and the faci lities were enlarged. The tries is achieved. been serving in Zambia, recently United Presbyterian Church retained a An official but unidentified observer visited Taize and describes what 30.7 percent interest in the corporation. who attended the meeting was later In 1974, because the member de­ quoted by the Church of England In­ it is like today. nominations were sending fewer mis­ formation Office as commenting: The student movement of many sionaries overseas, the board of direc­ " The conference heard with pleasure denominations went through a tors of the center voted to put the that the Methodist Church's response period of upheaval in the sixties property up for sale for $2 .5 million. to the Ten Propositions was proving to and even out of organized exis­ Shortly thereafter, a committee of the be affirmative, and that the General Program Agency was asked to look at Synod's first response on behalf of the tence. What is happening to the all the conference centers and housing Church of England, had also been en­ student movement today? John facilities in which the agency had an couraging; the clarifications asked for Jordan recounts his own personal interest, and to make recommendations by the (Anglican) General Synod were history with the student movement regarding the consolidation and future likely to be received and debated next to show what happened and to look use of these properties. The Presbyte­ February and there seemed to be real rian Church at Stony Point, the Pres­ prospects that the Synod would be able to the future. bytery of Hudson River, and the Synod to commend all the Ten Propositions to Two agricultural projects, one of the Northeast also took action re­ the (43) dioceses for a final decision in with Arabs in Israeli-occupied ter­ questing the Program Agency to look 1978, leading to a definite Covenant ritory and the other with African into the possibility of purchasing the for Unity between the Church of En­ Stony Point property. gland, the Methodist Church and (it is Nomads who are becoming agri­ The new center will consist of four hoped) other churches such as the culturalists in Kenya, make inter­ houses, seven apartments, a nursery United Reformed (sponsor of the unity esting contrast to a local church school, recreation facilities, mainte­ plan.) working with developmentally­ nance shops, three dormitory units, a "At the same time many local ecu­ disabled children in Kansas and a library and dining hall plus numerous menical experiments had established meeting rooms and office facilities. themselves successfully. The unity scene, profile of Bertha Swindall, Health Official opening ceremonies will be therefore, seemed much brighter than and Welfare executive working conducted at the center in late March. in 1973. But the conference also studied with services to children and youth. In the meantime the center is available current problems in achieving a fuller Other articles look at education for meeti ngs and conferences. understanding between the churches, in Africa's Guinea-Bissau, Calcutta (POI) and laid special emphasis on the need to set the whole work of the Churches' and an upcoming television series Unity Commission In the context of the on American families. ANGLICANS, METHODISTS Christian Mission. The third article in the Direc­ HOLD UNITY CONVERSATIONS " Only by showing the urgent rele- tions in National Mission series Progress made towards unity between vance of Christian unity in the local tells how churches are helping in the Church of England (Anglican) and scene could enthusiasm for the pro- the British Methodist Church since a posed Covenant be awakened in local school desegregation. cooference nearly four years ago was congregations. 50 [ I 04] New World Outlook • Februuy 1977 n111 ' e~ in iew Attractive, Convenient Protection " was Iii'! lie\ iier for your copies 1nal ~! OF NEW WORLD OUTLOOK

Th e NEW WORLD OUTLOOK Bind­ er has disti nctive blue vinyl covers with NEW WORLD OUTLOOK stamped in gold.

A full year's iss ues (11 copies) are easi ly inserted.

Yo ur magazi nes are preserved with a j ust-off-the-p ress freshness and are kept ready for quick reference and re-reading.

A transparent pocket at the bottom of the spi ne provides for the inser­ tion of a ca rd identifyi ng the year of iss ue.

This binder is offered as a service to NEW WORLD OUTLOOK subscrib­ ers at our cost .

EACH, PPD.

...... USE THIS COUPON TO ORDER...... YOUR BINDER, . N...... 0 W ! ...... NEW WORLD OUTLOOK SUBSCRIBER SERVICE Suggestecl for use in SERVICE CENTER 7820 Reading Road • The Chu rch Library Cincinnati, Ohio 45237 Enclosed is $3 .50 for my NEW WORLD O UTLOOK Binder. • The Pasto r's Study Pl ease se nd to: • The Home Bookshelf

and w herever NEW WORLD OUT­ LOOK should be kept as a contin­ Address ------uing so urce of m issio n information...... ------...... ZIP ---. new world outlook In today's complex world, there are many different __One year subscription to New World Outlook ($4.00) ways of looking at the changing scene; ways of seeing __Combination subscription with response ($7 .00) things that the informed Christian needs to know about. __Three year subscription special rate $10.00 NEW WORLD OUTLOOK brings you these global (Combination with response $20.00) perspectives from the United States and around the world but at the same time places them in the con· text of Christian mission. Address, ______Articles, late news, editorials, letters from overseas, book and film reviews-all help to interpret the present City or Town, ______State ____._ip Code: ____ scene in world and church. Shouldn't you be a sub­ Send to: scriber? Eleven issues for only $4.00. Service Center, 7820 Read ing Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45237