A WORLD CONFERENCE OF CHRISTIANS?
Snt,—There is a growing concern at the barrenness of the United Nations conferences, and it looks as though the purely political approach to the world's vital problems is sterile. May I make the broad suggestion that a world conference of Christians should be summoned to meet at the time of the Lambeth Conference next year? Hundreds of Anglican bishops from overseas will be here to deal with the affairs of their Church. But to meet the desperate needs of today an even wider forum is essential. Give Christianity a chance to solve those world problems which the politicians seem incapable of settling. Let the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster and the leaders of the Free Churches summon a world Christian conference to open out channels of understanding, practical sympathy and co-operation and to substitute universal reconciliation for the present policy of division.
Suppose that during 1948, in addition to the Lambeth Conference, we had a conference of keen and representative Christians drawn from every nation and Church in the world, making vocal, behind the politicians and diplomats, those silent perplexed multitudes in every country Who yearn to see peace on earth, goodwill among men. People are beginning to realise that we need the spiritual basis without which nothing prospers in human affairs. Let this conference be held and let its members meet in the name of the Lord Jesus, face to face, Briton and German, American and French, Italian and Russian, Chinese and Japanese, Indian and African. Let them meet and survey the world in the spirit and purpose of Him who died for all. And who knows but that in such an assembly we might have the embryo of a fellowship which would uproot the prejudices, dispel the lurking fears and suspicions and shape anew the destinies of mankind so that the stupendous 'sacrifices of these thirty-three years would not have been in vain after all ?—Yours, &c., The Vicarage, Needham Market, Suffolk.
W. G. HARGRAVE THOMAS.
Previous page
