55 years ago — Feb. 27, 1967
In a major paper submitted to the General Assembly, the Council on Church and Society calls for a deeper understanding of “God’s Action in Our Rapidly Changing World.” God is referred to as “the great disturber of the peace, the shaker of the foundations, and the awesome and majestic judge. As we seek to understand the inner meaning of changes that disturb us, movements that frighten us, or upheavals that threaten us, therefore, we must inquire whether God is not in such revolutions crushing our idols, condemning our injustices, and calling for our radical repentance.”
The Council [also] recognizes advances that have been made in the church in the area of race relations but it issues a summons to repent “of racism in our institutional life.” Among other steps, it asks the Assembly to instruct synods to secure such information as, “What church Sessions … if any, have policies which officially or in effect exclude persons from participation in the Lord’s house on the grounds of race, color, or class?” It proposes seven positive steps, like churches inviting into “membership all persons living within the communities they serve.”
From “C&S Council Sees Need for Repentance” by the Presbyterian Outlook
