The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-02-18

the President of the US, the Sec
retary of State of the us. and an
Under Secretary, the World Coun-
Gil of Churches, the National Coun-
Gil of Churches of Christ in Ameri-
ca, the National Association of
Evangelicals, the Home Board of
Mission Societies working in Co
lombia, the Associated Press, the
United Press, the International
News Service, France Press, Relig-
ious News Service, Ecumenical
Press Service. and editors of lead
ing secular and religious publica-
tions throughout the world" 1t al
so was said the charges were sent
to Pope Plus XII, Vatican offices
and an American Cardinal.
This is the testimony of the
sectS themselves, making entirely
clear that this was a propaganda
move to arouse concern and pres
sure" outside Colombia.
ne FfofeSfanf GnUFcng
The words protestant" and "the
Protestant Church" we're extrava-
gantly used. Actually, when in 1850
invitations were extended to 26
Protestant groups existing in Co.
lombia, only II joined an Evangeli.
cal Confederation in Colombia then
set up. Such church groups as the
Anglicans and Episcopalians and
the Baptists refused to join. The
list of those who became members
is studded with fringe" sects, of.
ten unknown as Protestant denomi-
nations in the U.S., such as the
Calvary Holiness Church." -Four
square Gospel Church." Assem-
blies of God" Independent Evan
gelical Church of Villarrica," "In-
dependent Gospel Tabernacles of
Casanare," and Worldwide Evan
gelical Crusade"
Profesfanfs themselves in the
US. may Judge whether such
"splinters" are to be regarded
as "fhe Protestant Church." as
they know ii. Nevertheless, This
is the group which charged per.
seeUtion of Profestanfs" in CO.
lombis.
DR.. Eduardo Ospina, S.J., emf
nent scholar of the Pontifical
Xaverian University, Bogota, has
written "The Protestant Denomi.
nations in Colombia" which de,
molishes, with Recommendation and
with notable calmness and charity,
this whole charge of Protestant
persecution" His compact work
has been translated into English
DR.. Ospina told me this:
Silent When Challenged
When the charges were made
they were withheld from circula
tion in Colombia, although sensa
tionally distributed in the us. ano
elsewhere. No opportunity was
given the Colombian Government
or the Catholic authorities to check
the assertions or give any reply
before the lurid reports were sud
denly given out ''for export"
DR.. Ospina himself made a mos
painstaking investigation. II tool
much time, for he was careful ant
insisted on evidence. Most of tn
areas where persecution" was al
legged were far away, in some case
in almost inaccessible small com
munities. The final result devas
tatingly brought out the inaccurac
of the charges. Father Ospina say
to the Evangelical fabricators o
the charges:
| Gentlemen, your reports are
fUIl of faIsehoods."
/ OF particular significance is thai
having published his book in Spar
fish, he sent copies to the Eyangel
cal Secretariat with the reasonabl
request that copies of any con
ment, or attempted refutation, O
what he had written, be sent +
him. To this day, he has receive,
nothing in reply. This was month
ago.
Of still more significance is tn
fact that upon the appearance o
Father Ospina's book. the bulletin
of the Evangelical Secretariat SUD
denly ceased to make charges O
persecution of Protestants," an,
has never once made such charge
since. This again is a matter o