Vigor, Vim, Cool Drinks

Christianity as practiced in the U.S. is a bit overwhelming to a clergyman from Britain. This is the impression conveyed last week by two English ministers, in a group of ten exchange visitors traveling in the U.S. under the auspices of the National Council of Churches and the British Council of Churches. "I am wondering whether the church in America is not frightened by this boom in religion." said Canon Hartley A. Wareham. Vicar of Linthorpe. Middlesbrough. Yorkshire. "The fantastic interest in church building, church attendance and education is a strange, alarming phenomenon about which we must not be cynical. It is difficult for us people of the United Kingdom not to be cynical about it ... Each of us has much to learn and much to contribute . . . We have things the church in America needs, but it is not for me to say.''

Canon Edward Carpenter of Westminster Abbey was more specific. "It seems to me that there is a great deal of vigor, vim and virility in American life, which expresses itself in devotion to a competitive free economy. The same spirit. I have a suspicion, displays itself, at least in the externals, in the religious sphere, which to an Englishman seems rather odd at times. On the lighter side, for example. I recall reading an advertisement in a newspaper which began. 'Is any church so air-conditioned cool as . . . ?' and members of the congregation were invited to share the delights of an iced fruit drink after the service. The [U.S.] minister seems to feel he is in a competitive world where other loyalties attract, and that he must 'sell' religion ... I have been very impressed with the consequent emphasis on 'plant,' on technical efficiency, on grading in Sunday-school work . . . with the willingness of lay people to accept responsibility in terms of finance and service . . .

"It seems to me that it would be unwise to write off this revival as lacking significance. At least to an Englishman, something of real importance seems to be happening--though we may not know precisely what."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.