A Shepherd Calls

At the World Council of Churches Assembly, no dogmatic problem puzzled the delegates more than how to achieve greater unity among a variety of denominations. Last week, in the sixth encyclical of his reign, Pope John XXIII called on a Christianity surrounded by the forces of Communism and secularism to join together under the fatherhood of the papacy.

Called Aeterna Dei Sapientia (The Eternal Wisdom of God), from its opening words, the new encyclical commemorates the 15th centenary of Pope St. Leo I, the strong-minded Bishop of Rome from 440 to 461 who dissuaded Attila the Hun from sacking the city in 452, and asserted papal supremacy and discipline over bishops of both Christian East and West. In his new appeal for Christian unity, Pope John avoids mention of Communism by name, but notes that "the Catholic Church finds herself in the same sorrowful position as in the 5th century.'' Because of the threat of a new barbarism, it is all the more essential for Christianity to accept ''the supreme and infallible magistery which the Lord has personally reserved to Peter and his successor.

"We long to see all nations entering into the way of truth and love and peace," Pope John wrote. "It was indeed precisely this desire of enabling the church of today to carry out this sublime office more effectively that led us to convoke the second ecumenical Vatican Council.* For it is our hope that the impressive union of the church's worldwide hierarchy will not only serve to strengthen the bonds of unity in faith, worship and government, but will also be a means of attracting the attention of countless believers in Christ and move them to come round 'the Great Shepherd of the Flock.' "

Limited to the principles, rather than the mechanics, of unity, Aeterna Dei Sapient ia forcefully reflected the Pope's own oft-expressed dream of healing the breach between Christendom's largest branches. But to many Protestants and Orthodox Christians, the encyclical seemed as much a reminder of unacceptable papal claims as a warm appeal for unity.

*The Pope is expected to announce the opening date for the council, to which some Protestant observers will be invited, in his Dec. 21 Christmas message.

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