Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-28

on 1868 as a year marred b,
tragedy and turmoil but bright
ened by a dynamic interna
tional ecumenical upsurg,
among Protestants, Roman
Catholics and Eastern ORTHODOX
that was seen as opening a new
era Of Christian history.
In the United States, the yea
was darkened by racial fer
ments, with religious force:
caught up in a burgeoning non
violent campaign for Negro
civil rights that met determined
opposition in many communi
ties. Of national significance
was a Supreme Court decision
on June II barring Bible read
ing and devotional prayers in
public schools.
Death wrote two of the big.
geSt stories. On June 8, the
passing of Pope John XIII, be-
loved by men Of all faiths,
stirred a wave Of global grief.
Less than six months later, the
assassination of John F. Ken.
nedy, the first Catholic to be.
come President of the United
States, again plunged the world
in sorrow.
Among many notable Protes-
tant tributes to him was one
from DR.. Eugene Carson Blake,
stated clerk Of the United Pres
byterian Church in the U. S. A.,
who declared that although his
time in office had been short, it
had been 'long enough to make
it abundantly clear that those
who feared a Roman Catholic
President misunderstood both
the man and his church"
Other Top Developments
Other top developments were:
The issuance Of a monumental
social encyclcal Pacem in Ter
ris peace on EARTH by Pope
John three months before he
died; the election of the former
Giovanni Battista Montini, Arch
bishop Of Milan, who took the
name of Pope Paul VI; the Sec
ond session Of the Second Vah-
can Council September % to
December ~; the overthrow Of
the government Of South Wet
Nam headed by President Ngo
Dinh Diem, a Catholic, follow
ing protests against alleged reH-
giOus persecution of the Bud
dhist majority; in easing Of
antireligion policies in Iron Cur
tain countries attributed largely
to the persuasive influence Of
Pope John; and the announce
ment by his successor Of plans
for a Christmastide pilgrimage
to the Holy Land, an ecumeni-
cal initiative that evoked warm
response in Protestant and Or
thodox as well as Jewish quar-
tiers. Among the first to hail the
Pope's pilgrimage was 0rtho-
dox Ecumenical Patriarch Athe-
nagoras in Istanbul who urged a
summit meeting in Jerusalem
of Christian leaders.
It was widely felt that the
Staying Of President Kennedy
and the subsequent murder Of
the alleged assassin by Dallas
nightclub owner had grave
moral implications challenging
the national conscience. In
hundreds Of sermons, clergy
men echoed the plea addressed
to all citizens by the new Presi-
dent, Lyndon B. johnson, ito
close down the poison springs Of
hatred and intolerance and
fanaticism."
His Influence Strong
Shortly before he died, Presi-
dent Kennedy had been present
ed with a Family of Man"
award by the Protestant Council
of the City Of New York, and
speakers placed him alongside
the late Pope John in influence
ing better interreligions rela-
tons. The new Chief Executive,
hailed as a leader no less dedi-
Gated to religious principles, be-
gan his administration with a
call for passage of the civil
rights bill behind which PreSi-
dent Kennedy had thrown his
full support. Among groups
called to the White House for
consultation on the legislation
was a delegation of the National
Council of Churches which had
already placed itself firmly in
support.
Strong backing for the pend
ing legislation had already been
voiced at the first National Con-
ference on Religion and Race
held at Chicago in January and
attended by Protestant, Catho-
lie, Orthodox and Jewish lead
ers. The call for equal rights re-
peatedly sounded at Protestant
conventions found churches
seeking to set their own houses
in interracial order.
In response to demands for "ac-
ton" were such developments
as these: The United Church Of
Christ set a July l, 1864, cutoff
date for aid applications from
segregated congregations;
United Presbyterian agencies
were urged to attack discrimina-
ton through close scrutiny of all
their financial relationships;
American Baptist foreign mis-
Sions directors started a de-
tailed scouting of their Sizeable
investment portfolio to unearth
discriminatory pra ctice S in
firms holding funds; in Wash
inofnn protestant Catholic and