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Show RELIGION World Council "To Justify the ways of God to man" was John Milton's expressed purpose for writing his monolithic epic poem of the Reformation. "Paradise Lost." Academically Milton succeeded in providing that Justification for his own and an unknowable number num-ber of future generations of Christians. Christ-ians. But since the 16th century days of Milton human society has turned an Increasingly cold cheek to the spiritual values preached by every great Christian since Paul. Particularly since the outset of the 20th century man's, attention has been claimed more and more by the dramatic power of materialism mate-rialism which has been brought into full play as a result of this technological economy with its assembly as-sembly lines, power pilitics and repetitive wars. Thus, the problem now is not so much how to justify God's ways to man as it is how to Justify man's society in the eyes of God. And if, as many churchmen believe, no such justification is possible, then how to work a reasonable and beneficial change in the society which men have wrought. It is that problem which the World Council of Churches, composed com-posed of 148 Protestant and Ortho-dox Ortho-dox churches from 40 nations, will endeavor to meet squaely at its first world assembly in Amsterdam August 22 to September 4. Four hundred and fifty church leaders laymen and clergymen alike are determined, among other things, "to assess the strengths and weaknesses of present-day Christendom" and "to define de-fine a basis of common principle upon which Christians can cooperate co-operate for world order." Under the conference theme, "Man's Disorder and God's Design," De-sign," the delegates will attack such questions as: How to infuse more spirituality into our mechanized mechan-ized society without advocating the destruction of all mechanization? What action can the church take among its members to aid in establishment es-tablishment of world order and what is the church's answer to the amoral power politics of the present pres-ent day? If these are. tough questions, the World Council of Churches is likely to prove itself spiritually tough and realistic enough to go a long way toward to-ward providing some of the answers. ans-wers. Heave Ho P .;'" f n'fm-,n,m' u wm Despite the Impression you might have received from reading newspaper accounts of the Olympics, American athletes ath-letes were not the only ones who took part In the games. This straining gentleman, for instance, Is Imry Nemeth of Hungary who won the hammer throw with a heave of 183 feet, 114 Inches. HOLY LAND: Optimism Although the July 18 truce In Palestine put at least a temporary end to the military bloodshed between be-tween Jews and Arabs, the struggle for rights and power continues behind be-hind the diplomatic scenes in the Near East. However, there is some reason to believe now that many of the troubles in the troubled spot may be smoothed out when Count Folke Bernadotte, U. N. mediator, proposes pro-poses his next peace plan in September. Sep-tember. One of the reasons for such optimism opti-mism is the attitude of King Abdullah of Trans-Jordan, most powerful of the Arab league states. Abdullah has asked for full and careful consideration of any future proposal for permanent peace in Palestine. And, he said, his "Arab nation does not exclude any possible compromise com-promise that secures Justice and prevents unnecessary bloodshed. "We would like that the efforts of Count Bernadotte in the refugee problem be successful, and afterwards after-wards that any new proposals which he will make should not be rejected outright, but be fully discussed before be-fore they are put in final form." |