Evening star., 1961-12-24


that man is saved by faith alone,
and not by works or merit, that
figured prominently in the 10th
century Protestant Reformation.
However, there is an improved
climate and closer understand
ing" DR.. Fry said.
He observed that key problem
was Rome's position that no dog
ma could be altered, while Prot
eStants stand ready to modify
their concepts whenever con-
vinced "out Of the word of God"
We'll find out by the Vatican
Council how serious the Roman
Catholic Church really is about
unity" DR.. Fry said. He added
that eventual union "is technical
ly possible"
On the other hand, he said,
the Vatican Council also might
widen the breach by fixing some
new doctrine that Protestants
could not accept. such as pro-
claiming Mary as co-redemptrix.
Such a doctrine is advocated in
some Catholic circles on the
ground that Mary co-operated in
bringing Christ, the redeemer to
earth.
The Optimistic Side
On the optimistic side, however.
many DEVELOPMENTS have brought
Catholics and Protestants closer
together.
Protestants widely have devel-
oped a deeper respect for church
traditions. for the teachings Of
the church fathers, for the an
cient creeds and for the value of
liturgy and symbolism in wor-
ship.
American professionalism is
moving very perceptibly toward a
more mature understanding of
church history and a coherent
statement Of beliefs" DR.. Fry
said. This is healthy and good
thing"
DR.. Blake commented:
"Liturgical scholars, including
Orthodox, Protestant and Roman
Catholic, are realizing that posi-
tions they felt at one time were
absolutes in actual traditions
were not.
THE Biblical movement also
has affected everybody"
In fact, many Protestant and
Catholic leaders suggest that it
may be in the Bible that the
guidelines to unity. are found.
Many Catholic scholars be-
lieve that Scriptures will be the
meeting place of Christians" said
Rev. DR.. C. Umhau Wolf, To-
ledo, Ohio, Lutheran. Catholic
theology is becoming more Bibli-
cal and Protestant exegesis more
theological"
'LoeieoI PIoce to Begin
Says Father Eugene Burke, Of
the Catholic Unive rsity of
America, Washington, TOO much
emphasis has been placed on the
differences. The Bible which we
all have is logical place to be-
gin work on what we have in
common" e..
Says Swiss Protestant Theolo-
gian Karl Barth: IF we want to
get out of this dead end, we must
look back to the origins Of the
church. We must all become dis
ciples."
Roman Catholic leader Karl
Adam of Germany suggests mu-
tual restudy of the Reformation.
Both sides are at fault" he
said. land this fault extends to
Rome itself"
Meanwhile, amid the expand
ing dialogue between Roman
Catholic and Protestant theolo-
gians, both in local settings and
on the international level, some
unprecedented personal relations
haye developed.
First it was the most Rev.
Godfrey Fisher. then Archbishop
of Canterbury. who called on Pope
John XIII last year, the first
such meeting in more than four
centuries.
Then Archbishop Iakovos, head
of the Greek Orthodox Church
in North and South America,
visited the Pope as an emissary
from the Ecumenical Patriarch
of Constantinople, and the Pope
sent return ENJOYS to visit the
Patriarch.
Churches Council Work
The World Council of Churches,
which has brought together most
all of Professionalism and Eastern
orthodoxy in vast range Of
united endeavors, says:
Progress toward unity is made
when churches meet together on
a basis of mutual respect and
with a full commitment on the
part of each church to the truth
of the gospel, to charity and to
a faithful Interpretation of its
deepest convictions"
Cardinal Bea gives a similar
definition of the proper approach
one of reciprocal, sincere
esteem"
Five official Vatican observers
attended the recent Council As
sembly in New Delhi, India, along
with about 20 Roman Catholic
editors and writers. Protestant
and Orthodox observers are to
be invited to the forthcoming Vat
ican Council.
Many subjects that have been
problems between the two
branches of the faith-religious
liberty, mixed marriages, liturgi-
cal renewal, role of the laity,
church authority, use of the BIZ
BILE and possibilities of a common
translation of Scripture and other
matters are expected to come up
for consideration.
Pope John has spurred many
of the approaches that have
brought the long aloof Roman
Catholic Church irto fuller cono