OUR CHANGING WORLD

 

The First Christian Church (Disciples) in Colusa, Ca. is presently having a weekly class in Disciple history. Their bulletin asks: “Have you ever wondered why there is a Church of Christ, Christian Church (Church of Christ) and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and where they all had their origin? Do you know why some of our heritage prefer not to use musical instruments? What do you know?” The minister of this church, Kenneth Pries, is also trying to work up a unity seminar that will bring all our people together to consider their common roots. He is a gracious Christian to refer to some of us as those who “prefer not to use instrumental music.” I would that it was as simple as that. His address is 725 Jay St., Colusa, Ca. 95932, if you would like to encourage him in his concerns.

Jim Smith of Bedford, Texas sent an ad clipped from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, advertising for a preacher for a Spanish-speaking church. “Applicant must be a member of Church of Christ,” is so unambiguous that there are likely to be no applicants from the Church of God, Christian Church, or even Christ’s Church. In these parts at least everyone knows what “Church of Christ” means. Still we insist that we are not a denomination, which must sound odd to rational ears. The salary is $300.00 a week, which isn’t bad for “a high school graduate with at least two years of experience.” I wonder what our System is doing to young men presumably committed to Him who had no place to lay his head. In these days of gross professionalism it is rare for a young man to “Suffer hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus,” which happens to be a dictum of Holy Scripture. When the Texas Employment Commission starts handling our openings, isn’t it time to take a hard look?

Dave Langford, a remarkable young man who is a friend of ours, writes from the Houston Bible Training Work, where he is on the staff, that encouraging things are happening among the “non-class” Churches of Christ, to use the term they use. He is traveling among these churches in behalf of the school and state, that he is finding more and more of the Spirit of Christ. I have long said that these people are doing more for the unity of the Spirit among us than any of our segments or sects (take your choice!). As for Dave, he recently had the privilege of being in a seminar with the renowned Martin Marty, theologian of University of Chicago, while at Oklahoma U., which broadened his perspective. He says Prof. Marty hailed Alexander Campbell as one of America’s foremost religious leaders.

The Gallatin Church of Christ (Tennessee), where I am to minister April 12-15 by the way, has on its letterhead: Our Goal: A New Testament Church in Teaching, Ordinances and Life. That is super! Every word is in keeping with our glorious heritage. Campbell would rejoice in the emphasis given to ordinances. The line might even read New Covenant Church, and even better. New Covenant Community, but we can’t move too fast. We are getting with it and that’s what counts. Hans Kung, Roman Catholic theologian at Tubingen University in Germany was recently removed from his position as “Catholic theologian,” though he continues to teach at the university. The German hierarchy did this because of his teaching on the nature of the church, papal infallibility and Jesus. In a visit to Harvard in November Prof. Kung told the press that he was eager to talk to the pope about all this, who refuses to see him. While he still believes in the papacy as such, he pleads for an “ecumenical pope” who can speak for all Christianity, something like Pope John XXIII was. He hopes that the pope will recognize the validity of Protestant ministries and eucharist, but fears this will not come soon. He sees the present pope as too narrow, despite his many’ gifts, and therefore a detriment to ecumenical interests. Kung’s besetting sin seems to be his challenge of papal infallibility. But he will remain a Roman Catholic, he says, and will not join the Protestant faculty at Tubingen even if offered

A new assembly has begun in the St Louis area under the leadership of Michael Hall, formerly of the Central Church of Christ in St. Louis. It calls itself Good News Christian Fellowship, and it professes to be “Non-denominational Biblical Evangelical Proclaiming ‘the good news of great joy,’ A restoration Movement church implementing the idea of the ‘priesthood of all believers,’” Michael is an “equipper” rather than the minister. For further information: Box 3536, St. Louis 63143.

In a recent editorial in Firm Foundation Reuel Lemmons called upon Churches of Christ to a “world vision,” charging that “we are in serious trouble and don’t know it.” He says the Churches of Christ are shrinking in membership for the first time in their history, referring, we presume, to a 1906 beginning date rather than 33 A.D. The cause of this, he concludes, is that we are becoming less evangelistic, with our preachers serving as counselors and church managers instead of ministers of the word. He thinks we might even become extinct soon after the turn of the century! I like Barton W. Stone’s prognosis better, which was to the effect that the sect he had created would “die and sink into the Body of Christ at large.”