Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 9, 1991                   TAG: 9102080303
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BRIEFS

CAMBERRA, Australia - The doctrinal office of the World Council of Churches says Christian unity requires mutual recognition of members and ministries and "Eucharistic fellowship" in celebrating Holy Communion.

Prepared for the council's general assembly here through Feb. 20, the fresh description of the "unity we seek" says it must be manifested both locally and universally.

The draft by the Faith and Order unit says the churches "have been led closer to one another in mutual understanding, theological convergence, common prayer, shared witness and service," but still remain "painfully divided."

"Their scandalous division endangers and damages the credibility of their witness to the world," the draft says, adding that the churches often have failed to implement agreements already achieved.

Attaining the goal of unity means reaching "a point where all the churches can perceive in one another the one body of Christ and can enter into living Eucharistic communion with one another." - Associated Press

Missiles protested

NEW YORK - Protestant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox church leaders have expressed outrage at the Iraqi missile attacks on civilian areas of Israel, which is not involved in the Persian Gulf war.

Expressions of sorrow and distress came from Catholic Archbishop John R. Roach of St. Paul-Minneapolis, head of the bishops' international committee, and from the National Council of Churches president, the Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky, and its general secreary, James A. Hamilton. - Associated Press

Brethren offer help

ELGIN, Ill. - The Church of the Brethren has made plans with the U.S. State Department to aid persons displaced by the Persian Gulf war, and also families of injured military pesonnel evacuated to the states.

The church said its program, the only one of its kind, would involve care for families of seriously injured military personnel evacuated to the States. Also, the church is helping at "mass care centers" in the Baltimore and Norfolk, Va., areas for Middle East displaced persons. - Associated Press > Bible society leader

NEW YORK - The Rev. John D. Erickson, an executive of the American Bible Society, has been chosen as the new general secretary of the United Bible Societies, a world organization made up of Bible societies in 110 countries.

Erickson, an ABS vice president, has been head both of its international relations and promotion divisions. Recommended by the UBS executive committee, he was confirmed in the international post by the UBS general committee.

The societies carry on translation, publishing and distribution of Scriptures around the world. The UBS has headquarters in Reading, England, and Erickson is expected to move there to take over the new position May 1.

Erickson, a Lutheran and officer of the American society for 25 years, succeeds the Rev. Cirilo A. Rigos, a United Church minister of the Philippines, who resigned last April.

German Bishop Eduard Lohse, UBS president, said Erickson can give "vision and leadership" to the Bible-spreading movement at a time when "the world is at a critical juncture." - Associated Press

Negotiations urged

WASHINGTON - The head of the Roman Catholic bishops' international policy committee says the Persian Gulf war should not be allowed to divert attention from "violence and injustice" against people in Baltic areas of the Soviet Union.

Archbishop John R. Roach of St. Paul-Minneapolis urged that Soviet authorities put aside use of force in restricting independence moves in Lithuania, Lativia and Estonia, and seek negotiated solutions. He said:

"How ironic and tragic it would be if the Soviet government that endorses force to free Kuwait would use such force to deny the same freedom to these people."

Acknowledging the Soviet Union faces grave economic and political problems, the archbishop said trying to settle the Baltic crisis by force threatens fundamental human rights, progress toward reform, stability and the "building of a more just international order." - Associated Press

Anti-Semitism condemned

NEW YORK - A U.S. Jewish leader says a pastoral letter by Poland's Roman Catholic bishops, ordered read in all parishes, is an "extraordinary breakthrough" in its strong condemnation of anti-Semitism.

Rabbi A. James Rudin, interreligious affairs director of the American Jewish Committee, said the letter comes "at an especially critical moment for Poland" when "anti-Semitism has emerged with increased virulence." - Associated Press