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The Church In the World
By E. G. Homrighausen

ANYONE who visits churches in various parts of the world becomes aware of certain problems which are of serious concern to churchmen. They involve the relation of the church to the world and the world to the church. Much study has gone into these problems through the agencies of the World Council of Churches and the regional study groups and centers which it has inspired. And while some implementation of these findings has been made, much remains to be done before substantial results will be effected.

EVANGELISM

The urgency of evangelism is accentuated by the fact that in terms of percentage the population of the world has been growing and church membership has been decreasing. While available statistics are not accurate, and church membership is not an absolute criterion for the success of evangelism, the percentage of Christians in the world decreased from 32.2 in 1900 to 30.3 in 1960. A prominent minister in the United States has made the dramatic remark that the churches are constantly confronted with two stark realities: the cemetery which buries the saints and the maternity ward which produces a new generation of non-Christians.

This evangelistic urgency confronts the churches at an awkward time. The older theology and methods of evangelism are being questioned. Evangelism for personal conversion and church membership is being minimized. Evangelism is being interpreted as the total instead of a specific witness of the church. Pluralism calls for co-existence and dialogue instead of encounter. The study of evangelism is taking priority over the practice of evangelism. And the younger churches are moving from a mission status to that of church order and organization, a process that makes them more conscious of themselves than of their world mission.

Happily there are some bright examples of evangelistic effort in Korea, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Chili, Indonesia, Kenya, and

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other places. Perhaps the most evangelistic Christians are the Pentecostals. Their primary objective is to preach the Gospel to all people. In a day when so much of the world's population is illiterate, they have a way of breaking through to those who cannot read or write. They use mass media; they do not wait until all theological questions are solved regarding the meaning and method of evangelism. While many a cultured churchman would wince at some of the accompaniments of Pentecostal preaching, he would be amazed at the way in which people hear the Gospel through this unsophisticated, direct, biblical, human witness.

There is an encouraging factor in the overwhelming evangelistic task which confronts the churches. That is the wide knowledge of Jesus Christ and the simple elements of the Christian faith which are disseminated far beyond the memberships of the churches. While this knowledge may not produce concrete responses to the Christian faith, it does get the message out, prepare the way for evangelism, and create a climate in which it may be more effectively done.

Whatever our theological views of evangelism may be, the urgency of the task and the necessity of a more united strategy in tackling the challenge are of universal concern to the churches.

EDUCATION

Around the world, there is a hunger for education. It is associated with the new freedom, the new nationalism, and new expectations. The churches have pioneered in parish, elementary, secondary, theological, higher, and even technical education. Practically all of the leaders in the new nations have been educated in church schools. In many of these countries, governments have been generous in subsidizing church schools. Pupils in these schools for the most part have been non-Christians. Education has been an evangelizing and Christianizing agency, although the concrete results in terms of converts have been disappointing. The problem of conducting such schools for non-Christians in the future, in the light of its cost to the churches and of the development of national educational systems, is becoming serious.

In some countries, such as Burma and Ceylon, the churches have already lost their schools to the state. In India, the Christian faith may not be taught to non-Christians in the school schedule; it may

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be taught to them, if they elect it, in after-school hours. Muslim and Hindu children in these schools must be taught their own faith by adherents of these faiths. Christian schools are required to teach a moral-ethics course which has no reference to religion.

Situations differ from country to country, depending upon the discarded colonial pattern that once obtained. But the new nations, I whether secular or associated with a religious tradition, will place church schools in an uneasy position. In Indonesia, for instance, the government still subsidizes hundred of church schools, and the several religions (Islam, Hinduism, Christianity) are taught by law at state expense in church and public schools. In Egypt, a Muslim state, the Christian faith may be taught in the national schools at state expense by church-appointed teachers.

In higher education, the churches lost their great colleges on the Chinese mainland. However, strong support is given to several Christian universities in east and southeast Asia: Yonsei and EWA in Seoul; International Christian University in Tokyo; Tunghai in Taiwan; Silliman in the Philippines; Chung Chi in Hong Kong; Nommensen in Sumatra; and the Christian University in Djakarta. There are other colleges and universities in Kyoto, Tokyo, Serampore, Singapore, Madras, Beirut, Constantinople, Cairo, to mention but a few. And there are dozens of institutions of higher education conducted by the churches around the world of varying sizes and academic standards.

Now that the new nations are developing their own universities, the churches in some areas are facing new challenges. National universities give new status to their students; they are setting higher educational standards; they are well-equipped and heavily subsidized by the state; they offer comprehensive programs; they provide attractive scholarships; and they are not related to a sponsoring agency abroad.

Church institutions of higher education face competition on many scores. The churches are confronted with huge student populations on these campuses which they can hardly hope to reach through student centers or current programs. For instance, there are 85,000 students in the University at Mexico City. United strategies will have to be worked out to make some kind of witness to this new student generation. While there is still opportunity, the churches should buy up the time and teach the Christian faith in their schools,

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colleges, and universities with greater effectiveness. But they must think seriously about the time when these new nations in their desire to develop their secular societies may force the churches to rely more, and perhaps only, upon their parishes, families, and church-supported colleges and agencies to teach the Christian faith.

SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT

The churches everywhere are concerned about the critical social situations in which they find themselves. This is especially true in places where the national spirit is strong and where the nation is striving for freedom, for identity, for unity, and for economic development. Nationalism is a powerful force in the world. Communism and westernism find it difficult to penetrate. It has little interest in east or west, except to benefit from one or the other. This nationalism often takes on a one-party form of government, and persecutes, exiles, imprisons, or liquidates the opposition. It will not tolerate deviations if they endanger the unity of the nation or threaten to make it an easy prey to a discredited colonialism. It takes vigorous hold of financial matters, immigration policy, foreign loans, international relations and internal affairs. Its aim is to get the nation on its feet, unify its divergent groups, and move it toward development.

As for religion, nationalism follows different policies. Indonesia's constitution affirms that the nation believes in God; and its religious groups unite in a general religious front. India claims to be a secular state. While no proselytism is allowed, it does expect all religions to work for the national welfare. A type of co-existence is the order of the day. In other nations a predominant religious faith may grant religious liberty to other religions, but it expects for itself a favored position. In all public functions, it alone may be -represented, or if others are allowed, they must assume a subordinate place.

The churches continue to engage in all sorts of relief activities. They care for the sick, the aged, the poor, the orphan, the refugee. Projects in agriculture, literacy, education, and family life are integral to all church programs. Eventually, the new nations will take over many of these activities, at which time the churches will be challenged. Even now, church services in many of these areas, such as food distribution and refugees, involve political matters.

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Perhaps the greatest problem for the churches in these critical social situations is that of determining what God is doing in these national revolutions. Is he at work providentially, redemptively, if at all, in history? With the New Delhi Assembly of the World Council of Churches, many will agree that God is at work in the secular order; the Incarnation is a "secular event"; God is reconciling the world to himself; God is the inspiration of the bright expectations of millions; God is concerned for man's dignity and humanity; the gospel implies that all people should share in the benefits of the secular life. But how far can the churches go along with these new developments without being in danger of prostituting the gospel to nationalistic ideologies and methods? In how far are these secular hopes to be identified with the redemptive work of God in history? How can the churches that are small and coming into churchhood maintain a separatism from the world for the sake of being and remaining Christian, and at the same time assume their servant roles as prophetic (critical) and priestly (serving) churches in their nations? May not the Christian faith become lost in a general religious syncretism, on the one hand, or, on the other hand, become just another religion in a situation which demands peaceful co-existence with all religions?

These issues are being given consideration by the churches in their seminaries, colleges, universities, ecumenical centers, study conferences, and publications. Through the inspiration of the World Council of Churches in its study of rapid social change, the missionary structure of the church, and other areas, leadership has been given to the churches most affected by these problems. Yet, in spite of all that has been published to date, the crucial issue still remains: What is the role of the churches in revolutionary and nationalistic situations in identifying the work of God, and in guiding and equipping their members in their thought about, and their service in, this secular world?

LEADERSHIP

The dearth of leadership in the younger churches is disturbing. Ministers are overworked; they often serve many congregations in one parish. Trained leaders are overwhelmed with a variety of responsibilities. In some instances, ministers are engaged on the side in public education, government services, law practices, lecture

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courses. Their leadership is called for in other areas, and their salaries are not adequate. This part-time service in the church may be better than nothing, but it is not good enough to build the church. It is difficult to recruit young men for such a ministry, especially when leadership in other areas of a developing nation is so appealing.

The problem of leadership is complex and baffling, but its major issue lies elsewhere. It lies in the deeper problem of the meaning of Christian leadership. The leadership of the church determines its character and purpose. If the leader regards himself as the authoritative director whose task is to address people on occasion and treat them as wards to be led, a congregation soon becomes passive-dependent. Is this leadership? Does this type of leader understand the true nature and task of the church? Does he develop the servant role of the congregation, and release ministering laymen into the common life?

Authentic and educated leadership there must be in the church. No church can continue for long without a set-apart ministry. But the nature and function of this ministry must be given serious consideration. It must be better trained to fulfill its vocation in the life of the church and the world. This has implications for theological education.

The younger churches are giving serious attention to theological education. The Theological Education Fund has made fine contributions toward the strengthening and developing of this type of leadership education. Several associations of seminaries are discussing their common problems, notably those in Brazil, India, Southeast Asia, Argentina, Japan, Korea. Two seminaries are moving to university campuses, namely Union in Tokyo and the Near East School of Theology in Beirut. Four Protestant seminaries in Mexico City are forming a federation. A new seminary is being built in Suva in the Fijis. United efforts here and there have strengthened theological education. Theological faculties are becoming more permanent and they are being manned increasingly by nationals. Denominations in the United States are giving more attention to this kind of education. A number of these seminaries are rethinking and reconstructing their curricula and teaching methods. And they are taking their roles as centers of church thought more seriously.

Bible schools and seminary programs of lower standards are numerous and widespread. They are performing a much-needed service,

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at a time when well-trained leadership is in short supply. But they cannot be sustitutes for theological seminaries. They should improve their offerings, unite their efforts, and perhaps develop into special educational agencies for the churches. But an improved theological education cannot solve the problem of leadership alone. The churches must recruit able men and women from the churches, the colleges, and the universities. The ministry must be enhanced, its task conceived in newer terms, and its incumbents given better financial support. The curriculum and teaching methods of the seminaries must aim at educating a leadership that knows the faith, understands the situation of the church in the world, thinks theologically, and is able to make the church into a community of thought, worship, fellowship, service, and witness. Such leadership is essential in the education of laymen in local congregations who will work with the minister in creating a ministering people of God.

These are but a few of the problems which concern the churches. There are others which are imperious in their demands for attention: the number, education, and place of youth in the churches; the fear of war and the deep yearning for peace; the frightening fact of growing poverty in a world that is getting richer; the necessity of economic development based not upon charity but upon domestic prosperity and self-help; the shameful waste of small denominational activities when the churches could give a more effective witness through unified action.

Happily, these formidable problems are not creating a defeatism in the churches; rather, they are regarded as a part of that conversation which God is carrying on with the churches in order to bring about their renewal and maturation.