Evening star., 1960-10-19
.Lufherans Ask
banon NucIear
Weapons Tests
BY CASPAR NAMES
star stan writer


ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., oct.
10. - The United Lutheran
Church in America today called
on nations possessing nuclear
power to seek multilateral
agreements banning nuclear
weapons testing with provision
for adequate inspection and
control"
The statement, debated for
the past three days, further
urged that a moratorium on
nuclear testing be continued
until every opportunity to Sc
cure such effective agreement
has been utilized"
This position was advocated
not only as a means to combat
hazards to health but also "be-
cause agreement on the cessa-
ton Of testing could serve to
allay suspicion" It also claimed
that international experience
in inspection and control" con-
sidered essential to ''the regu-
lation and reduction of arma-
ments in a manner that will not
endanger the security Of any
nation" is provided in this eff
fort.
Another section calling for
peaceful cooperation and
competitive co-existence with
the Communist world" that
aroused heated debate Monday
was revised to eliminate the
controversial wording.
Compromise Language
In what many delegates re-
garded as a compromise, the
section was changed to read
that the United States should
seek peace by engaging with
other governments in peaceful
competition where important
differences exist and in peace
full cooperation where funda-
mental principle is not compro-
missed"
The motion asked Christians
to join with others in working
for "the abolition of war and
for the extension of peace, JUS
tice and freedom among the
nations. In this process we
must oppose and seek to over
come all forms of totalitari-
anism which deny the nature
and destiny Of man as revealed
in Jesus Christ"
A firm assertion that "arm-
aments are today a basic ele-
ment in international diplo-
macy" was added, with the OBJ
servation that their possession
in peace may serve in peace to
deter aggression. Their use in
war for purposes of defense
may be justified as a necessary
evil in a sinful world. Under
no circumstances can aggres-
sive or preventive wars be sane
toned"
But the section warned that
the possession of armaments
involves hazards and any de-
cision to use them must be
determined by the extent to
which justice and freedom may
be advanced. No nation is Jus
titled in the use of weapons
Of such magnitude as would
result in the total destruction
. of human life"
Delegates to the denomina-
tion's convention were warned
yesterday by DR.. Lawrence D.
Folkemer, professor of theol-
ogy at Gettysburg Lutheran
Theological Seminary, that
"the voice Of the privately sup
ported college, particularly the
church college, is fading"
Closer Bonds Advised
Asserting an increasing per.
centage Of students are going
to publicly-supported colleges
and universities, the former
pastor of Reformation Luther.
an Church in Washington
called on the church to forge
closer bonds with its institu-
. tionS.
Another Lutheran educator,
DR.. Robert Mortvedt Of Chicago,
warned that "a great deal of
'shoddy' education has been
purveyed in the name of the
church."
"The fact that it may be holy
shoddy' does not mitigate the
error" said DR.. Mortvedt, ex-
ecutive secretary of the demon.
nations Board of Higher Edu-
cation. "The cause Of this
regrettable situation has been
both economic and theological,
and we can only hope that
remedies for both defects may
quickly be found wherever the
fault exists"