Evening star., 1952-06-08
| The Week in Religion
By Religious News Service

ProteS ant denOminational
bodies, at their annual national
conventions, have taken steps to
further inter-church cooperation
and unity, remove racial barriers
in congregations, obtain social
security coverage for clergymen
and check threats to freedom in
this country.
Among the denominations which
have met recently and acted on
current church and national issues
are the Presbyterians (U. S. A..
United Presbyterians, American
BaptistS, Southern BaptiSts, Dis
ciples of Christ and Unitarians.
Other major groups which will
hold their national conventions
this month include the Southern
|Presbyterians. Congregationalists
and several Lutheran bodies.
The newest development at these
church conventions has been the
launching of a movement to get
ordained ministers included in the
Social Security Act. Until now
Protestant groups have generally
been opposed to social security
|coverage for clergymen, maintain
ing that it would violate the prin-
|ciple of church-state separation
|by imposing Federal taxes on
|churches.
Presbyterians First
The Presbyterian Church in the
United States of America last
week became the first Protestant
denomination to seek Federal old
age insurance for its parish minis
Atry. The church's General As
lsembly, meeting in New York.
voted to request legislation from
Congress providing for voluntary
social security coverage of clergy
men.
Similar action was taken a few
days later by the annual meeting
of the American Unitarian Assocl-
alton in Boston.
A report presented to the annual
meeting of the American Baptist
Convention in Chicago urged that
denomination to restudy its psi
ton opposing the inclusion OF
ministers and missionaries under
the Federal Social Security Sys-
tenn. The report said that seer
tain major denominations give
clear indications of reversing
themselves and urging the inclu-
sion of ministers on a permissive
basis"
Concurrent Meeting.
The American Baptist held their
sessions in Chicago concurrently
with the annual meeting Of the
International Convention of Dis
ciples of Christ. Although con-
Quoting separate business meetings
the two groups held several joint
evening fellowship assemblies"
The delegates also participated in
a joint communion service, the
first time in the history of Ameri-
can Professionalism that two major
religious bodies had united in an
observance of the Lords Supper.
The General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church in the United
States of America heard a report
of progress in negotiations look
ing toward union with the Presby-
terian Church in the United States
(Southern) and the United Pres
byterian Church. These are the
three major Presbyterian bodies
in the country
Pending union, the Presbyterian,
United States of America Assembly
voted to work toward united pro-
grams for the three denominations
in evangelism, stewardship, pulpit
exchange and the provision of
chaplains for the Armed Forced.
Progress in Unity Plan.
Meanwhile, progress was re-
ported on a plan for Federal
Union" between the American
Unitarian Association and the Uni
tartan convention in Boston was
told that the plan. which calls
for the federation of areas of COM
mon work, has been indorsed by