A searchable, downloadable PDF of the original article, with pictures from the WCC Assembly, appears below. J.H. (Hans) Kouwenberg is the pastor of St. Giles Presbyterian Church in Prince George, B.C.
The 6th Assembly of the W.C.C., meeting in Vancouver, B.C. July 24-August 10 this year was such a rich, diverse affair that it is hard for those of us who attended to gather our impressions together. Hence the narrow focus of this article. One of the significant and interesting strands in the tapestry of the ecumenical movement is the growing awareness of and appreciation for the renewed evangelical movement in the church of Jesus Christ.
Let’s begin with definitions. Emilio Castro, Director of the W.C.C.’s Commission on World Mission and Evangelism, beautifully summed up in a press backgrounder on “The W.C.C. and Evangelicals” where the interests of many evangelicals today are. He said, “Evangelicals are people who have a common spirituality and theology. They are found in every church.” There is in the term they choose for themselves “a clear reference to the biblical authority, the evangel.” “They are conservative theologically but aware of the social-political reality.” Castro went on to enumerate what I agree are salient features of evangelicalism. 1) Evangelicals stress a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. They do not believe that God has any “grandchildren”. 2) Spiritual life is something to be cherished and to be nurtured daily by each individual. 3) There is a “Biblical concentration” among evangelicals, a clear reference to the Bible behind every affirmation and statement. They by and large take the biblical text “as it is”. 4) Two emphases – sometimes together, sometimes divergent – stand out: doctrinal affirmation and world evangelization, the latter receiving more prominence, especially since their world conference on evangelism at Lausanne (1974). 5) Finally, there is a new radicalism among evangelicals, due in part to a response to the emphasis in the “Lausanne Covenant” on social concerns. A series of documents on concern with peace and justice have been issued by evangelicals. This is a growing movement. Intriguingly, Castro suggested that “most of the participants of the W.C.C. would agree with these points.”
Where the divergence between evangelicals and ecumenicals (although the two can no longer be considered as mutually exclusive) would seem to lie, appears to me to be a matter of emphasis. At an evening presentation on “The Gospel and Salvation,” this became more clear. That this topic was one of the three major public forum issues was significant, I think, in itself. Dr. Carl Armerding, Principal of Regent College, moderated the impassioned, and at times eloquent, talks by Dr. Festo Kivengere, Anglican bishop and noted evangelist from Uganda and Dr. Alan Boesak, Reformed theologian and noted anti-apartheid activist from South Africa. Taking as his key text Jesus’ announcement of the kingdom’s inauguration in Luke 4:16-18, Kivengere emphasized that Jesus was first concerned with “deep-seated” poverty and captivity, blindness and oppression, with “spiritual insensitivity.” Boesak began by agreeing with what Kivengere had said regarding the priority of the proclamation of the good news. But, he asked, “Can we simply say these things? . . . The gospel cannot simply hang in the air. . . . Proclamation is always into a certain situation” with its history and fears etc. “We must apply the power of the Word into the world, hence,” Boesak went on to say that, “it is indeed the materially poor,” the real captives, the truly and socio-politically blind and oppressed who are addressed by Jesus in Luke’s text. Even as at times Kivengere unwittingly used sexist language, only speaking of “man”, i.e., humankind, or “brothers” without including “sisters” (a sensitive point during the whole Assembly), so also Boesak at times ignored the spiritual aspect or overstated himself to make his point: e.g., “Jesus is not speaking of some spiritual reality.” Again, to see the difference between Kivengere’s and Boesak’s emphases one might consider the difference of topic of their published books. Kivengere has one entitled I Love Idi Amin expressing the need for personal forgiveness, while Boesak has one called The Finger of God detailing a call for struggle against the monstrosity of apartheid. The conclusion of the evening appeared to many, including this writer, to be a standoff. Both points were valid. The gospel must begin by meeting personal and spiritual needs. But it must also go on, deeper and broader, and touch corporate gatherings, institutions and systems. My feeling is that evangelicals are weak in the articulation and the practice of peace and justice concerns, while ecumenicals are weak in the articulation and practice of personal salvation and evangelism.
But this Assembly seemed to be more open to an evangelical voice and witness. Certainly those who would identify themselves as evangelicals were in evidence as delegates and guests. I think of a number: Orlando Costas, an eloquent Latin American, literate and especially concerned with events in Central America, and Peter Kuzmic, a low-key but effective Yugoslavian New Testament teacher. I have already mentioned Festo Kivengere and Alan Boesak, both of whom would also describe themselves as evangelicals. Moreover, the emphasis on worship and prayer gladdened evangelical hearts. Three times a day members of the Assembly and visitors gathered joyously and in great numbers to praise and to pray. Prayer was offered daily – for a month before the Assembly and during it – for those who participated and for special needs and petitions. Moreover, it was heartening to see in the major policy statement, which came toward the end of the Assembly, a call for greater “dialogue with evangelicals not related to the W.C.C. on the meaning and methods of evangelism.” The concluding “message” of the Assembly to its member churches on “Life Together” was a moving “commitment to mission and evangelism,” “justice and peace.”
Finally, a number of evangelicals gathered together several times during the Assembly, writing a four-page statement affirming much of what went on at the 6th Assembly, discussed and developed the hauntingly biblical phraseology of the theme: “Jesus Christ: the Life of the World.” Essentially, it is an open letter commenting on aspects of the W.C.C.’s work and calling for a greater participation by evangelicals in it. (See statement following this article.) Drawn up by such evangelical luminaries as Dr. Arthur Glasser of the School of World Mission at Fuller Theological Seminary and Paul Schrotenboer of the Reformed Ecumenical Synod and hammered out by about thirty others (including myself; my mother-in-law typed it to have it ready for the beginning of the third week of the Assembly!), it was given front page coverage by the daily W.C.C. newspaper, Canvas. About 1,000 copies were distributed to willing delegates, guests, visitors, and press. At least 200 signed a statement of solidarity with us, of whom about 60 were listed in the “Who’s Who” of the 6th W.C.C. Assembly booklet. Although a minority report – more critical of the W.C.C. and participation in it – principally authored by Dr. Peter Beyerhaus from Tuebingen, West Germany, and supported by two others of our caucus, was also circulated, it did not receive the attention and encouragement that the majority report did. Many who took a copy said such things as, “I’m glad you did this ” or “Thanks for putting into words what I wanted to say.” Paul Schrotenboer, Richard Lovelace, Donald Dayton, and I were tickled at the response as we shared the statement with many who asked for it. The feeling among many evangelicals I talked with at the Assembly is that there is a growing convergence among evangelicals and ecumenicals. Joining with the Christian unity found in councils and united or uniting churches there is the growing grass roots unity found among God’s people everywhere.