Cooperation and witness

A report by the secretary of the department Aldo Comba

Constitution and duties of the department

To present to the general council of Ottawa the work of the department of cooperation and witness means not only to consider what has been done since the last council (Nairobi 1970) but also to outline plans for the future.

The period from 1970 to the end of 1981 (almost 12 years) saw first the restructuring of the department of cooperation and witness at the general council of Nairobi, then experienced a period of intense activity when the Rev Fred Kaan was secretary of the department. After his departure in 1978, there was a slowing down and almost stasis during a year and a half when the department was without its own secretary (even though homage must be paid to the devotion of Mrs Ingrid Trindade, who was Mr Kaan's secretary and who practically ran the department and assured the publication of the Reformed Press Service). Finally, two years and some months ago a new phase began with the arrival of the undersigned to the departmental secretariat. To correctly place the work of the department within that of the Alliance as a whole, it is necessary to bring to mind again, very briefly, some other elements.

The department of cooperation and witness was set up in 1965. It was the time when the World Alliance of Reformed Churches had accrued and continued to accrue an abundance of new members. This came about particularly with the admission of those that one used to call "young churches", which is to say the churches of the third world, which during the post-war period had become autonomous. The necessity of building up collaboration with these churches and in general with minority churches, with the aim of helping them to witness, was clear. The department of cooperation and witness had to respond. It must be added that even before Nairobi there existed forms of collaboration between the Alliance and the international congregational council (which at Nairobi was to merge with the Reformed Alliance). They were mostly in the field of information. It was in 1968 that Mr Kaan, who had become secretary of the international congregational council, became information secretary of the Alliance. At the Nairobi council, the department of cooperation and witness absorbed the information secretariat as well as the former women's department. The Rev Fred Kaan became the secretary.

At the same time the Nairobi council proceeded to revise the constitution and by-laws of the Alliance and redefined the duties of the department:

"The department of cooperation and witness

"The function of this department shall be:

1. to study what the member churches should be doing in response to specific conditions and events in the church and in society.
2. to help these churches to be more responsive to the real needs of people in church and world.
3. to make possible a full expression of the many and varied skills and gifts of men and women of all ages in the witness of all member churches, and of the Alliance.
4. to make the Alliance significant to its total membership as well as to the outside world through
   1. Information gathering and disseminating.
   2. Encouragement, evaluation and collaboration among member churches in implementing resolutions of general councils.
   3. The coordination of the department's work with other interchurch bodies, new churches and secular institutions.
   4. A special services fund for specific needs not provided for by interchurch aid.
5. to discover ways of providing opportunities of fellowship among the members of the churches."

This text can seem too complex or too vague and generalised.

But in the light of the circumstances that led to the setting up of the department, and that reigned at its reconstruction in 1970, it becomes quite clear. The department was born of the merger of three bodies and it was to be given a clear but unrestrictive orientation. The major part of the article is concerned with cooperation and encouragement. Evidently in mind was the situation of "young" and minority churches. The maximisation "of the many and varied skills and gifts of men and women of all ages" evidently makes allusion to the work that was that of the women's department, and that is to be found here in a more general context that one could call the training of the laity. The formula adopted also allowed for the inclusion of work with young people among the tasks of the department. The information secretariat was the third body that merged into the new department; information is specifically mentioned in the by-laws as an instrument that will "ensure that the Alliance has a significance for members and nonmembers". Lastly, a very practical directive concerns the setting up of a special services fund to provide for needs that are not covered by interchurch aid. Since it is usually the very small and minority churches that have difficulty in obtaining ecumenical aid, this last point also helps qualify the general sense of the" "cooperation" that appears in the official name of the department. To sum up:

• to offer material and moral aid to "young" and minority churches in order that they may witness in their own milieus;

• to contribute to the realization of the community of women and men in the church;

• to render the Alliance significant, within and without, by means of information.

It is in this way that the article of the by-laws that concerns the department of cooperation and witness can be summarized.

The priorities that have become evident

On the other hand, on reading the reports that the secretary put before the department from 1970 and those that the department put before the executive committee during the same period, one sees constantly efforts to redefine the work of the department. More precisely, it can be seen that during the years immediately following Nairobi 1970, the attention of the department and its secretary was concentrated for the most part on three or four themes that constitute the titles of the chapters of all the reports: information; relations with the churches (correspondence, visits and special services fund); how best to continue the work of the former women's department; and, after 1974, a fourth subject - human rights (that year Mr Kaan had represented the Alliance at the Conference of St Polten, out of which came one of the best ecumenical papers on human rights).

In his report of 1976-77, Mr Kaan said, "Speaking about the department's mandate in practical 'shorthand', I tend to refer to it under such headings as communications (print and electronic media), church relationships, administration of the special services fund, secretarial travel, human rights issues, women's work". In his report of 1977-78, when he was on the point of leaving the Reformed Alliance and thinking of the future of the department, Mr Kaan wrote, "In the sketchiest of outlines, it could be said that cooperation and witness has four major programme thrusts:

1. communicating (please note the choice of word over against the more traditional term: communications)
2. mutual caring
3. alertness vis-à-vis human rights violations, with related action
4. women's concerns."

These are almost the same words used by the department in its report to the executive committee at St Andrews in 1977: "The department reflected on the ministry that has been entrusted to it, and identified communication in all its forms (press, radio, visitation, correspondence), mutual caring, women's work and concerns, and alertness to situations where human rights are being violated..." The following year (1978), the department added two more points: "As a result of the department's examination of its mandate, the six major areas of concern are, without implying priority, communicating, mutual caring, human rights, youth, women's concerns and peace."

Two further comments can be added. A careful analysis of the reports would probably demonstrate that there was an evolution in the conception of information on Mr Kaan's part and on that of the department, because (the reports being written in English) the word "information" becomes "communication" and finally, "communicating", which seems to indicate an ever-deepening and richer conception of this aspect of the work. To communicate is not just a simple transmission of data; it is to put in contact, it is a work of education and it is "an instrument of cooperation between the churches. It can be noted, secondly, that with few exceptions, information (or communication) is always mentioned first, as if to indicate that even if there is no explicit order of priority (and the department's 1978 report denies this) there are nevertheless priorities in reality.

New perspectives: imagination and realism

In 1979, in the absence of a departmental secretary (which lasted more than a year), it was the general secretary of the Alliance who included in his report to the executive committee at Seoul a paragraph on the department of cooperation and witness. Having examined what was achieved during the preceding year in the six areas mentioned in the 1978 report, the general secretary remarked, "It has to be underlined that the six above-mentioned major concerns would require full-time work for several staff. This is obviously impossible. The way we work in these fields is made of bits and pieces that are difficult to assemble and do not give an integrated picture. The distance between ideal goals and limited possibilities has always to be kept in mind." Further on he noted that:

"I feel that the time has now come, after nine years of existence of the department of cooperation and witness, to rearrange the list of responsibilities that were de facto priorities since 1970, in order to adjust them to the present needs - and to what is in fact requested from the secretary by our by-laws.

"The priorities should now be:

1. Typical cooperation and witness aspects: encouragement, evaluation and collaboration among the member churches... there is a large field for imaginative work...
2. Press and communication: the new secretary will keep the direction of all those operations, that can be dealt with in a more delegated and cooperative way..."

The general secretary concluded this part of the report devoted to the department of cooperation and witness by saying:

"The three year period that goes until our next general council in 1982 should be used as follows within the department:

1. Study and develop the typical aspects of cooperation and witness work, in an imaginative and realistic way, making special use to this effect of the area councils and of the 1982 general council.
2. Communications within and outside WARC to be continued and improved, with our own means such as Reformed World and Reformed Press Service.

"The 1982 general council should receive a report from the secretary of the department as to how we can best help our member churches in their own situation and in promoting cooperation between them."

The department meeting at Seoul in 1979 considered the work of the staff from the point of view of the six priorities already mentioned (communication, mutual caring, human rights, women's work, youth, peace) but endorsed and recommended to the executive the priorities indicated by the general secretary (typical means of cooperation and witness: press and communication).

The new secretary of the department, on taking up the position, found on the one hand an invitation to exercise "imagination and realism", and on the other hand the tradition of the four basic points - communication, mutual caring, human rights and women's work. It should be noted that youth and peace played rather a secondary role (this being said without forgetting the good work done for several years by "youth correspondents"). The new secretary has tried to promote certain ideas suggested by the "imagination", but at the same time he has operated according to the four classic priorities. One can even say that these were strengthened by the decision of the executive committee of Wuppertal (1981) that proposes to the general council the creation of two subsections in the department, one for women's work and the other for the defence of religious and civil liberties (that equates more or less with human rights).

Recommendation 3 (women's concerns)

"The department after a thorough consideration of the suggestion expressed by various women's groups as to the reviving of the women's department expresses the view that the immediate organization of a women's section within the department of cooperation and witness would be at the present time the most realistic and practical implementation and intends to create such a section."

Recommendation 20 (other issues)

"The department... requests from the departmental secretary that a paper be prepared for the general council with suggestions concerning the creation of a "civil and religious liberties section" within the department."

Cooperation and communication being indisputable elements, we get back then to a four-part scheme.

The meaning of the term "witness"

Bearing in mind all that has been said already, one can attempt to define more clearly the meaning of the work of the department by reflecting on the term "witness". It is evident that between the two nouns that form the title of the department, there is a certain imbalance. One perceives it as soon as one mentions this title to somebody who is unfamiliar with WARC matters. The department of cooperation is something one can easily understand, like department of theology or department of finance. But, what does department of "witness" mean? Is it another way of saying missionary department at a time when the term" "mission" is being challenged? The reply is negative. There has never been any intention (or possibility) of organizing classic missionary activity within the Alliance. What witness does it mean then? That of the department towards the churches? That of the Alliance towards the world through the department? That of the churches themselves? Each of these interpretations is in principle legitimate. A cynic could even say that it is just a pious word without much consequence. Let us try to clarify the point.

The origin of the department

At the executive committee of Baguio City (1965) that approved the setting up of the department, there was no discussion (at least there is no trace in the minutes) on the title of the department. There is, however, in the document of constitution prepared by Mrs Margaret Shannon, a paragraph that helps to interpret this name: "We are all agreed that the interchurch fellowship, brought about by a sharing of problems and opportunities, was a vital link between the churches in the first Christian era, as a result of the concern of the apostle Paul. The churches within the fellowship of the Alliance can likewise mutually inspire each other, serve each other, comfort each other, enlighten each other, teach each other and become one with each other, through a department such as the one just created by the executive committee of the Alliance. Under the guidance of the Creator Spirit, this movement should unleash power within the churches as together we reach out into the world that we must serve in the name of the common Master of us all."

It therefore concerns cooperation between the churches destined to permit and strengthen their witness in the world. It is the churches that witness by their faith, their teaching, their preaching, their commitment. The department tries to create between them bonds of cooperation that allow all that to happen, to be significant and effective.

If this interpretation is exact, it would be better if, in the title of the department the two nouns "cooperation" and "witness" were not on the same level joined by an "and". On the contrary, their precise relationship should be shown by a preposition, for example, "department of cooperation for witness". It is the cooperation between churches in view of the witness of churches. A formula of this nature would show up better the orientation of all the activity of the department towards witness. All that is done - the information, interecclesiastical relations, women's work, human rights issues - all would be consciously and directly oriented towards a missionary dimension, of evangelization and of... witness!

The gulf between the name and the reality

Two comments are necessary here. On the one hand one can ask oneself if the department of theology has not exactly the same aim. Studies, meetings, discussions, the publications directed or produced certainly have no end in themselves and are not exclusively directed to what one can define as "the internal consumption of the churches". They have no point unless they are destined to render the witness of the churches clearer, more biblical and adequate. This department could also quite legitimately call itself the department of theology and witness, or even better, department of theology for witness. If the aim of these two departments is to promote the witness of the churches in the world, why does the word "witness" appear only in the name of the department of cooperation? Is it because it is feared that cooperation could be directed other than towards witness, whereas theology would be spontaneously inclined in that direction? Or could one add that the thing that differentiates the departments is not only their objective but also their perspective - one oriented towards the witness of the churches and the other... towards what?

But on the other hand, if one examines quite objectively the reports since Nairobi 1970, ignoring the innocent embellishments that are to be found in any written report, it must be said that there is a considerable gap between the original intention and the concrete reality. The department is in fact an information office that tries to maintain by correspondence and journeys a certain number of links with the churches and between the churches, administers a small special services fund, organizes a network of correspondents from women's organizations, and is interested in (and in some measure collaborates with) other initiatives concerning human rights. The name that corresponds exactly with the work that is being done is that of "department of information and liaison with the churches". Even this name is still a little ambitious, because to circulate true and plentiful information concerning 149 member churches is already an immense task. As far as liaison is concerned, even if it is reduced to the maintenance of some links with member churches, it also becomes (given the number dispersal and sometimes extremely difficult situations of the churches) a task that is way beyond the possibilities of a tiny staff.

Provide the means to accomplish the task

In the last twelve years, the "department of cooperation and witness" has become in effect an "office for information and the maintenance of links with the churches". Such is the reality. One could ask why. Written information (press service, Reformed World) has limits that impose themselves. One can put back other engagements but a magazine must appear at the due time. Moreover, the two secretaries that the department has had during this period came from the field of communication and could therefore have put this idea of the work first - but the department followed suit. And besides, they were very conscious of the "cooperation" aspect of the department and numerous efforts have been made to use all possible means of contact with the churches both by the secretaries and other members of the department. What is lacking is simply the time and means to do more.

This brief reflection on the meaning of the word "witness" in the title of this department leads us to recognize the gap that exists between good and generous intentions, as expressed at Baguio City at the time of the creation of the department, and the reality of the limits imposed on the activity of the department by the extremely small staff and the budget.

One can at this point imagine three possibilities: the first is to keep the gap between an ambitious name and modest reality (but this is hardly the best solution from the point of view of witness); the second is to adopt a modest title; and the third, is to provide ourselves with the means to carry out the work indicated by the title of the department.

Without dreaming of the impossible and without transforming the Alliance into a great bureaucratic machine, we think that a solution that would allow the department to carry out the work corresponding to its name and functions should anticipate a member of staff full time for information, one for matters concerning cooperation, and one half time for the administration of "women's" and "human rights" sections, these two having to function for the most part by means of volunteers. This is still very modest, but would at least allow the department to be faithful to its name. This is basically a challenge that we are making to the member churches in order that they may face up to the facts.

Communication

Talking of communication in general, I quoted in my last report to the department (Wuppertal 1981) the president of the Protestant Federation of France "... information is one of the principal instruments of mission of our churches... we must pay much more attention to the problems of communication than we have been accustomed to do..."

Other words that struck me particularly recently were those of a friend to whom was talking about the council of Ottawa and who said to me: "You see, they have to take decisions on the future of these ecumenical discussions and half the delegates have never even heard of Leuenberg". He was undoubtedly exaggerating, but who would dare to say that the principal document arising from Lutheran/Reformed discussions and other similar papers is really known in our parishes?

Usually when one visits member churches one finds that each of them knows little of the whole Reformed "family". I am not referring to the leaders, who because of their work have frequent contact and easier access to information; I am referring to the faithful, the ordinary people of the church (which is what gives the Alliance its savour and without which it would be just a club for ecclesiastics). This Reformed people is badly informed. It does not know who exactly is of its number. Therefore it does not know exactly who it is, and, on a world-wide level, what are its strengths and weaknesses. It is not really able to master its own destiny but it risks being overtaken by events. Here then are three essential tasks: information/communication as a missionary tool; information/communication as a means of participation in the decisions that concern us all; information/communication as a link between the geographically and culturally scattered members of the Reformed family; thus as a means of bringing together and uniting this family.

Communication and mission

Each of these tasks presents certain problems.

In order that information is of a missionary nature (that is to say, is of an evangelical and witnessing nature), it is necessary for it to communicate facts, words and decisions emanating from the churches having themselves a missionary attitude: that which converts people is not the existence of the church, but its life, meaning the entirety of its words and acts witnessing to the Lord and his love for the men and women of today with their real problems. Communication can enhance the effects of such an attitude, but can do nothing if this basic attitude is missing. As for the Reformed Alliance, it is its capacity to take up at the most opportune moment (by declaration and action) firm stances on questions that disturb, worry and afflict human beings, that it can hope to attract attention and pronounce words that will direct minds towards the Lord.

Communication and participation

As for the participatory nature of information, it should have at its base a will to participate in all our Reformed world. The men and women of the most modest social classes, the laity, small or marginal churches, in general the "small ones" are not the recipients of papers or decisions drawn up by the elite, but they must be enabled to participate from the beginning in the elaboration of that that concerns them. For example, ecumenical discussions would be better not modelled on the colloquies of diplomats who meet in secret and draw up agreements that the people are supposed to accept, but rather along the lines of popular assemblies where the discussion of the specialists takes place before the people and with their cooperation from the very first. Then the question posed today by "faith and constitution" as to "who speaks for the churches" would no longer be necessary - they speak for themselves. Information would become the vehicle, the means of participation.

Communication and assembly

Finally, the smallest (but not the least important) task is to contribute to the bringing together of the Reformed family dispersed to the four corners of the world. Here, being unable to use the vast resources of the big information agencies, it is necessary to awaken the interest of the local churches for information, ameliorate and in different places set up a network of correspondents, attract attention to this problem. Giving to our churches and our parishes the feeling of the worldwide dimension of WARC is often to bring them in from the sidelines and out of their introversion; it is to help them to enter into the perspective of biblical ecclesiology, which implies the recognition at the same time of the local and universal dimension of the church.

Reflection needed

In the reports of the department of these last few years, one does not find much theoretical elaboration on the work of information at the heart of WARC. Most often the department expresses its satisfaction for the way in which the press service and the magazine Reformed World are produced and encourages them to carryon. The Ottawa council, if it so believes, could also simply encourage the department to carry on as before, but the comments briefly made in the preceding lines should stimulate the attention and the theological reflection of the council on these problems. We believe that in elaborating the concepts of mission, participation and "getting together" (assembly), the work of information at the heart of WARC and the work of the department of cooperation and witness as a whole could be better defined, and probably would contribute also to the enrichment of our conception of the work of the entire Alliance. We hope that such a reflection can be made.

Reformed Press Service

The Reformed Press Service is published in four editions, French, English, German and Spanish (this last was started in 1971 as a result of a decision by the Nairobi council), published at first every two months and then monthly. In 1972, for some months cooperation with the communications department of the World Council of Churches was attempted. The Reformed Press Service came out only every other month but a certain number of Reformed news items were included in the ecumenical press bulletins. The results were judged to be disappointing and the initiative was abandoned at the beginning of 1973. Around 670 copies of Reformed Press Service were printed each month in 1971 and now about 1,250 copies are printed as follows:

A certain number of copies are kept for the archives, filing, publicity, etc, which means that the number of copies actually sent by post or distributed by hand amounts to 1,100. Occasionally, it happens that more are distributed. Another aspect should be noted: there are only about 50 paying subscribers; 350 copies go to member churches or other newspapers in exchange, which means that about 700 copies are distributed free to the press in Geneva, to different offices of the ecumenical council and to other addresses in a great number of countries. We try constantly to build up the number of paying readers (which is happening fairly slowly) and also the nonpaying ones. As far as the latter are concerned, we check from time to time whether they are still interested in receiving our publication. The cost of the Reformed Press Service, which is included in the general expenses of the office, can be approximately broken down thus: printing 42%, translation 34%, post 15%, paper 9%, without counting the work of the office staff.

As for the translations, the Reformed Press Service is edited normally partly in English and partly in French, according to the origin of the information received. The translations from English into French and vice versa are done by the staff of WARC and the two editions go out almost simultaneously. The German edition is prepared by a professional translator whose services are also in demand by other offices in the ecumenical centre. The Spanish translation is done by someone who out of friendship for the Alliance gives us special terms.

In 1976, for a circulation of about 750 copies, a little more than CHF1,500 was spent on each number; in 1981, for 1,100 copies, CHF3,000 were spent. In 1976, the department examined closely the problem of these costs and "in underlining the importance of this service for the member churches and the media, recommend that the production of Reformed Press Service stays unchanged".

The questionnaire

Two other aspects of the work of the Reformed Press Service are important. Firstly, the effort to identify exactly who the readers are and what they want to read, and then an evaluation of the contents of the publication, both in order to know and to respond to the demands of the readers and to fairly represent the Reformed family.

To get to know our readers better, we distributed a questionnaire with two numbers of the Reformed Press Service in the spring of 1981. Replies were still reaching us in November! In all, we had 124 replies, which represents 11.3% of the number sent out (8 from Africa, 15 from Latin America, 19 from USA, 12 from Asia, 4 from Australasia, 62 from Europe and 4 from unknown sources). Without going into details of the results of this inquiry, it seems to us that we can say that our public is quite varied, not only from the geographical point of view but also in character. It therefore has differing requirements.

The most interesting difference is that readers from developed countries, who have most general information at their disposal, ask the Reformed Press Service to specialise in the diffusion of information on the Reformed churches. The readers of the third world, who are less widely informed, require first of all information on the ecumenical world in general, and then news about Reformed churches, but are also pleased to have information and commentaries on cultural and social subjects.

It is very difficult to serve two different publics. One solution to this problem could be the monthly Reformed Press Service serves firstly the interests of third world readers, whilst the briefer and more rapidly produced communiqués could serve the press and western readers. With regard to the contents of the Reformed Press Service, throughout the years an effort has been made to publish as much information as possible from the third world as well as news of recent events, documents, testimonies and interviews. Apart from the two special numbers devoted to women's concerns in 1981-82, an effort has been made to give as much prominence as possible to news concerning women in the church. For the last few months a double page has been devoted to the general council of Ottawa.

Reformed World

The magazine of the Alliance has changed name, being The Reformed and Presbyterian World until the month of December 1970, when it became Reformed World. This change was accompanied by a new style cover, further improved in 1980.

The editor responsible for the magazine is the general secretary of WARC, and associated editors are the secretaries of the departments of theology and of cooperation and witness - in fact, it is teamwork. The desire expressed for many years by the department to have a woman editor was realised in 1981 when Miss Mireille Gilles (Uruguay) agreed to become a member of the editorial board.

We will not go into details here about what has been published over the last few years. Sufficient to say that the magazine has two clearly distinguishable sections, one being devoted to the publication of articles of general interest, but particularly of articles and documents of a durable theological value, the other comprising news of member churches.

The first section reflects the interest of the Alliance in certain matters. Thus, interconfessional theological discussions occupy a large part. Documents issued in connection with them are often published in their entirety. The theme of the theological basis for human rights received attention at the moment when this major study was being prepared. The ecumenical assemblies are reported and commented on. The important events in the life of the Alliance (councils, colloquies, meetings of the executive committee, etc) have a special place in the magazine that provides plentiful documentation on them. Sometimes certain celebrations of member churches (for example the 200th anniversary of the Edict of Toleration in the countries of the old Hapsburg monarchy) provide the occasion for articles of a historical or theological order. The magazine has thus a double function - on the one hand to keep its readers informed of the life of the member churches, and on the other hand to supply theological/ecumenical material for reference.

The number of readers is practically constant and is made up above all by a major order from the United Presbyterian Church of the USA on behalf of its ministers. Around 11,000 copies are printed of the magazine, of which more than 8,000 are bulk orders.

A more dynamic magazine

The problem is to know whether the magazine should not have a more dynamic look, intervene more directly in current debates, enter into exchanges with the readers, review present day problems, follow the news, be more open not only to historical topics and religious sociology, but also to pedagogical themes and others that might interest not only ministers and professional theologians but also the laity, parish councillors, etc. Projects of this kind can certainly be formulated, and they have been in editorial meetings, but it has become evident that a livening up of this nature demands much more time on behalf of the editorial personnel. It is therefore one of those problems that one can hope to solve positively only in the framework of an enlargement of the office staff in Geneva, therefore within the framework of a general livening-up of WARC.

And for non-English speaking readers?

A problem of quite a different kind is the fact that the magazine is only printed in English, that it is supported essentially by North American readers, but that at the same time it is the official magazine of WARC, the "voice" of the Alliance. One section of articles (not the news of the churches) appears also in the theology bulletin. The French and German readers receive only some theological articles. In fact, most of the articles are written by English speaking authors for very practical reasons. They know the English speaking ecclesiastical world and can address themselves to it without problems. There are no translation costs except for the part that is published in the theological bulletin.

In conclusion, the official magazine of the Alliance is very strongly Anglo-Saxon, instead of being pluralist and multicultural as is, on the contrary, the membership of the Alliance. The problem seems practically without solution. To publish a magazine in several editions is out of the question for financial reasons. To internationalize the magazine by the choice of authors, of cultures and topics could create several difficulties. The present readers would no longer find the conceptual world to which they are accustomed and it would still leave aside the non-English speaking readers these could make their voices heard but continue to receive nothing. We are sometimes tempted to use the press service to fill this gap in some measure, but it is not a good solution because of the risk of transforming it into a hybrid that is neither magazine nor press service.

The problem exists however: how to practise cooperation (which is one of the duties of the department) in this field. How can sufficient material be supplied to those who do not belong to the dominant culture? But also, how can material make heard the voice of those coming from other cultures?

Intervox

Intervox is an initiative supported by the ecumenical council, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Association of Christian Communication (WACC) and WARC for the production of religious material for use by radio stations (magnetic tapes). Music, interviews, speeches, reports, etc figure among the elements that form these religious programmes, used mostly in the third world. The Alliance supports this work by an annual contribution and by the participation of the secretary of the department in the making of these programmes.

Up to the end of 1977/beginning of 1978, the secretary of the department, Mr Fred Kaan, was much engaged in this work, to the point where the department found it necessary to fix a limit of four days work per month for his participation in Intervox. He himself, on leaving the Alliance, emphasized in his last report the full value that should be given to the presence of WARC in this field, which allows us to reach, by means of the radio, a great number of people, above all in the third world countries where the written word has trouble getting through, but where the spoken word that comes over the air is the easiest means of communication and often most taken notice of.

The departure of Fred Kaan, the long gap that followed him, and the successive phases of reorganization of the communications services of the ecumenical council then rendered the participation of WARC nonexistent apart from the subscription of CHF1,000 per year that it continued to pay regularly. Afterwards, this participation was limited and irregular in the field of programme production, but continued normally at committee level. Direct participation in the production of programmes started again recently and it is expected that this will develop into an intense and fruitful collaboration.

English and the other languages

In speaking of the magazine Reformed World, we have already made allusion to the preponderance of English at WARC and the fact that the churches that use another language for their international communication are in a less privileged position. Evidently in Presbyterian and Reformed milieus, all the languages of international communication are European, a fact that already poses problems for a number of churches and Christians in Africa and Asia. Their mother tongue is often a local dialect; in addition they have to know the national language, and finally, one of the languages of the former colonial powers as a means of international communication. If it so happens that this last is not English, their linguistic problems are not finished and they will find themselves once more on the sidelines of the councils and committees. In fact, it must not be thought that simultaneous translation is the solution as it is tiring to follow and often misses the nuances, apart from being, of necessity, slightly behind the speaker, which is particularly annoying when texts are being discussed or amendments being made. In the end, one is often cut off from the actual debate. It is obvious that from a practical point of view the possibility of using one language only simplifies things greatly and allows economies be made, but this must never go to the point where people or churches are left out in the cold. It is for this reason that the department of cooperation and witness has proposed and the executive committee adopted, a resolution whereby it is recommended:

1. that during the general council there be not only simultaneous translation, but also a good balance in the languages used in the main speeches and a rotation of the languages used from the chair;
2. that - while recognizing that the prevalent use of English may be required for practical reasons in the sessions of the executive committee - fluency in English be no longer a prerequisite for membership in the executive committee, and the use of other languages be admitted in its meetings in the forms and limits that would be suggested by the circumstances.

It seemed sensible to us to remind all members of the council of this resolution because it is a form of cooperation and at the same time a means of reiterating the truly universal and pluralist nature of WARC; it could also have immediate implications for the work of the nominations committee at Ottawa.

Cooperation

On reading the reports of the secretaries of the department for these last ten or twelve years, one has the clear impression that everything that concerns cooperation between churches can largely be placed under three headings: special services fund, visits, and in a more limited way, human rights. We will consider this last issue in a separate chapter, which leaves us with two questions to deal with here: visits, meaning visits to the churches, and the special services fund, meaning assistance for particular and special cases, since the Reformed churches are invited to offer normal interchurch aid by means of the World Council of Churches commission on interchurch aid, refugees and world service.

The special services fund

The grants made by the special services fund have gone to around thirty different countries. They are generally modest sums that provide for cases that for various reasons cannot be considered by the WCC's commission on interchurch aid, refugees and world service.

The criteria for the payment of a grant are proposed by the department and fixed by the executive committee. The last formula adopted in 1981 by the executive committee states that "the criteria for granting contributions out of the special services fund be the following:

1. that the grant be once and for all: it may be divided into two instalments, but not be a permanent funding;
2. that it help to "rescue" people in an emergency;
3. that it has "enabling" results, such as acquiring a skill, organizing a cooperative, starting a venture, permitting a visit, strengthening links, etc."

The executive committee receives each year the details and accounts of new projects that sometimes relate to private individuals and that are treated with the necessary discretion. The special services fund (it goes without saying) is built up by gifts from churches or Christian organizations. Discreet publicity is made in order that the churches are aware of the existence of the fund, without its changing character or direction, to become a hidden form of interchurch aid.

Problems of mutual aid

One problem that sometimes comes up in the field of interchurch aid results from the different policies followed by different denominational organizations. Some manage their own aid organizations, whilst the churches of WARC are invited to" contribute to the commission on interchurch aid, refugees and world service. It happens sometimes that ecumenical aid is distributed to all the churches of a country but some receive aid from their own denominational organization as well, which can give the impression to the Reformed churches of being ignored by the Alliance. This is one of the possible consequences of the ecumenical policy of WARC. This policy is good and there is no need to change it. Attention must be drawn to the cases where there is too great a disparity, but above all, it should be avoided that the small minority churches feel that there is discrimination in this domain. These are the ones who because of their small size are often in the greatest difficulties and we should not let them feel that the church is not much different from the world in its attitude towards the weak. But this aim must be achieved by contacts and understanding without giving way to the notion that the funds should function as a means of asserting a denominational presence.

Journeys and visits

We do not want to go into details about journeying, even if in certain reports from past years they occupy a large place. A certain number are of course official journeys to represent WARC at big ecumenical or denominational meetings, at synods and general assemblies, etc.

Other tours serve to strengthen ties, make contact with people, understand situations. Others have cooperation as their objective. Among these last, one can mention two recent examples, the visits made by the general secretary to Taiwan at the time of the arrest and imprisonment of Dr Kao, general secretary of the Presbyterian church of this country. Along the same lines was the visit of the secretary of the department of cooperation and witness to Equatorial Guinea in 1980, with a joint delegation from WARC and the ecumenical council. In these two cases, the political situation and specific events necessitated a direct contact that manifested visibly the solidarity of the whole family of the Alliance with these churches at a particular time and in a particular situation. It is evident that in cases of this kind there is consultation and participation by all the staff of the Alliance in reflection on and preparation of the tour, which makes it difficult to label it a departmental tour. In fact, all these visits to churches are in the nature of "relations with member churches", which places them under the responsibility of the general secretary, but also of "cooperation with the churches to help them witness", which places them within the scope of this department.

Official visits and participation in ecumenical or denominational meetings are normally also used as a means of establishing contacts with other Reformed delegates participating in them. They are occasions not only for fraternising with members and often leaders of Reformed churches, but also for exchanging information and reflecting on Reformed topics, of which which we try to make maximum. Let us add, in passing, that if one considers the increasing cost of travel and the very great number of meetings, consultations, world assemblies, which are planned for the years to come in the ecclesiastical world in general, one begins to wonder if it is not possible to rationalize this whole sector in order to try to obtain exchanges in depth between churches (not only between the leaders who go from one assembly to another, but between an increasing number of members of churches) with a smaller cash investment. Apart from this, WARC is always ready to profit from tours made by the members of its executive committee for other reasons, to entrust tasks of representation and visiting of member churches to them.

The positive experience of the European council at Poiana Brasov, whereby numerous local parishes were visited by the delegates, could be repeated on other occasions. It should not be forgotten.

Suggestions concerning aid and cooperation

We have already mentioned the wish expressed by the general secretary in his report to the executive committee of 1979, that the 1982 council should receive a report on "the best way to help our member churches in their particular situations and facilitate cooperation between them". The following comments constitute this report.

The first question, which could appear a little theoretical, concerns bilateral, multilateral relations, etc. In fact, the classic model and the simplest form of cooperation between churches is that whereby aid (usually money and personnel) goes from large, strong churches towards small, weak churches in dangerous situations. There is nothing wrong with this way of things when it concerns emergency situations or special occasions. It is the most natural thing in the world. The bilateral relations of aid between "big ones" and "little ones" are bad when they become a fixture and the norm, because they become, whether intended or not, relationships of dependence. But, bilateral relations continue to be very desirable when they do not produce situations of dependence, which is to say when they develop between churches of equal strength and when they consist of exchanges and not of one-way transfers. Many "large" churches are aware of these facts and prefer to channel their aid via agencies or organizations. There is also a danger now (as in any human enterprise) of relationships of dependence becoming established between small churches and these agencies. But the size of this danger depends on the dimensions of the agencies in question and the way and the measure to which these churches, large or small, can control the running of them. The WARC, and in particular the department of cooperation and witness, can function perfectly well as an agency subject to fairly strict controls in order to avoid becoming a power centre, and at the same time be fairly committed to relations with all the member churches in order to be able to really help exchanges between them. But for this to happen, it is necessary for a minimal apparatus to be set up, which does not exist at present. The increasing demands and different rhythm of the "information" and "cooperation" sectors mean that they encroach one upon the other, and if a full-time member of staff were devoted to issues of cooperation this would permit a certain number of initiatives to get off the ground. Thus a primary element of a project to "aid the churches and facilitate cooperation" would consist of requesting the churches who are capable of so doing to assure this minimal condition for the smooth running of the department.

Given that the Reformed churches are invited to realise their aid projects via the interchurch aid commission of the World Council of Churches, we will only mention here other forms of cooperation.

Area consultations

Area consultations between member churches of WARC could be organized with two aims: to examine the problems common to all the churches in an area to see how they can help each other find solutions, and to examine in particular the significance and the impact of specifically Reformed witness in the ecumenical and cultural set-up of the area. In describing in this way the subjects of these area consultations, one does not risk overlapping with other consultations or ecumenical assemblies of the same area or region. As they are often small or minority churches, an area consultation would help them to preserve their sense of identity and would put them, at the same time, in touch with the outside world on an equal footing, and help them to define the nature of their witness. This does not mean "to preserve their denominational separatism" but "to identify and define their own contribution to the ecumenical movement in the region". Such an identification is, one could say, a two-edged sword: the first edge is autocritical; it concerns, in effect, the discrimination between true Reformed values on the one hand, and on the other the secondary elements, traditional (even folkloric), which could be abandoned in an ecumenical gesture. The other edge is a Reformed criticism of the present ecumenicity of the area when it takes the form of negotiation between ecclesiastical power centres and is no longer a reciprocal recognition between Christian people. Consultations of this kind, it seems to us, would have precisely the function of helping these churches in their cooperation and witness, because today, witness and evangelisation can only be carried out in the perspective of ecumenical lucidity. The regional dimension of these consultations responds to the following criteria: 1) economy, 2) not to have a meeting, which because of its size puts the small churches into a marginal situation yet again, and 3) to have practical openings for mutual knowledge (which at a circumscribed geographical level could become mutual cooperation, which would not be the case in larger spheres of operation) and the discussion of common area problems.

One could identify without much difficulty a certain number of "areas", but probably the first step would be to discuss with the churches the concept of "area" to take account of their needs and at the same time to invite them to look critically at the concept they have. For example, in the Mediterranean, and from the Reformed point of view, what is an "area"? All the Mediterranean coasts, the Latin Mediterranean countries? And what about Greece? Or the Arab speaking countries? What are the problems that the churches have in common at different levels? What kind of contact would be useful to them on a limited geographical scale? The discussion with the churches, even of these questions, would not be without its own value in order for the churches to perceive an area consultation as something that belongs to them and not as an initiative from outside that is foisted upon them. The same problems of definition of "area" exist all over the world.

Exchanges of personnel

Exchanges of personnel still occur in numerous cases in a one-way pattern, meaning personnel from bigger churches going to work in poorer churches, but in the opposite direction, students from poor churches going to study in the big theology faculties. Up to a certain point this is inevitable, but it would be important to stimulate also traffic in the opposite direction. Certainly, for a European student it is more interesting from the individualist point of view of an academic career to go and do a period at Harvard rather than at a theological faculty in Africa or Latin America. But from the point of view of the ecumenical and human enrichment, and of the possible establishment of a network of bonds that bring the churches out of their isolation and mutual ignorance, it is more important to go and learn "in loco" what the truth is, the life and theology of a "poor" church. And in the opposite sense, the churches of the third world often lack personnel and have to face up to such problems locally that it would seem almost impossible to ask them to do without one of their own people. But if this were done on the basis of a temporary exchange, would there not be there an important means of strengthening the bonds between churches and of giving to the people (not only the leaders) of the church some direct relations with representatives of the faithful in other areas? Before being able to take decisions and carry out these exchanges, there would undoubtedly be a delicate phase of research and creation of conditions making these new forms of exchange possible. Probably the special services fund could intervene to aid materially an exchange where all other conditions had already been assured. Attention must not be fixed only on exchanges between more developed and less developed zones; this is only one type of exchange of personnel that poses particular problems, but other exchanges are just as necessary and interesting in order for the Reformed family to acquire an ever better sense of its unity. This will be done when all the members of the family have relations one with the other and not just when they have relations with one church or a group of churches that are in the centre. Exchanges of personnel should have a multilateral character, complex, varied and not conforming to a "centre periphery" conception. And quite frankly, today, exchanges between countries and churches in the third world should undoubtedly be given priority.

Exchange of information

The exchange of information must also be considered as a form of cooperation and that from different points of view. It allows each to become aware of the nature, size, problems, joys and woes of the Reformed family to which he belongs. In any family scattered to the four corners of the earth, family feeling is maintained if it is cultivated, and to cultivate it means precisely making it possible for each and every one to know the others and to be able to follow their progress.

From this point of view the publications of WARC (particularly the Reformed Press Service) can play an important role, particularly if we can succeed in enlarging and improving the network of correspondents who have just this aim in mind: interchurch information as a fraternal link. It could even be useful to organize from time to time consultations or seminars for the correspondents of WARC who would study the difference between information that seeks to create bonds of friendship and normal journalistic techniques. The exchange of information has a cooperation and witness function also when it concerns documents - meaning, when it consists of making known elsewhere, not only particular events, but the synthesis of reflections and experiences that a church or a group of believers normally confines to a church document on a given subject. To make known across the Reformed family documents produced by itself, (the church or group) would often serve to make it more conscious of what it is and at the same time to avoid fragmentation, repetition, waste of energy in the effort to understand a problem. On questions such as peace, disarmament, sexual ethics and family problems, ecumenical ethics, the ministry of women, the admission of children to the Lord's table, etc, each church writes its own papers. Would there not be an advantage in knowing what others think on the same subject, particularly when these reflections come not only from the normal sources of theological production but from the grassroots of some parish or area synod (presbytery) or from some small "marginal" church? This exchange, it seems to us, would be a fine, possible way of churches cooperating with a view to witness (and inexpensive).

Two subjects for reflection concerning cooperation

Before closing this chapter on cooperation, it seems important to us to point out two topics for reflection that go along with cooperation itself.

The first reflection, to which our churches should be constantly committed, concerns the personal attitude held by each towards cooperation. It is very often an attitude that is not really cooperative but rather "charitable". As soon as one speaks of cooperation, the "big ones" think straightaway, "What can I give?"; the "little ones", "What am I going to get?" We must learn to reverse these ideas.

The" "big ones" must learn to see what they need and can be given to them by others. Normally, when they accept something from a "little one" they do so out of kindness, in order not to seem rude, etc, but without really believing that the poor can enrich them. Do they really recognize that they are missing something? Not only that, but are they ready to name the things that they lack and that the" "little ones" can give them?

And, alternatively, are the" "little ones" ready to reflect on what they can give, not just a symbolic or useless gift? Are they convinced that they can give something that is essential to others? Can they define it?

To help the churches to make reflections of this kind is a theological task, a pedagogical, pastoral task (call it what you will), but a task that is very pertinent to the department of cooperation and witness, anxious that cooperation is really that and not a repetition of old, paternalistic relations.

From the practical point of view, one could start by opening the pages of Reformed World to the reflections and witnesses on this set of problems.

The second topic of reflection and exchange of experiences concerns one of the duties that the constitution attributes very explicitly to this department: "to make possible a fuller expression of the many and varied skills and gifts of men and women of all ages in the witness of all member churches and of the Alliance".

The churches, large and small, often make one think of a peasant who makes a small income from an arid parcel of land under which there are innumerable minerals that could make him rich in a moment but whose existence he ignores and would in any case not know how to profit by them. The laity, believers of both sexes, are the field in which the Lord has planted the most diverse gifts. To help the churches discover these gifts, the riches that are theirs, is this not the best, the real way to help them? But how can we do this?

Research and reflection on this subject, not only on the theory of the role of the laity in the church, but on the application of the use of the gifts of believers is probably the necessary condition for a solid commitment of the department in this field.

Women's concerns

The general council of Nairobi of 1970 had decided to abolish the former women's department. The work accomplished by it was to be taken in hand by the department of cooperation and witness. It was evidently necessary to define in what manner this would be. In his report of 1971, the departmental secretary remarks in fact "one of the issues that will have to be clarified in detail is that of the place of women's work in the context of cooperation and witness. Now that the department of women's work no longer exists as such, it is all the more necessary to define the allocation of responsibilities." In effect, a discussion of this type seems not to have taken place. Mrs Shanti Solomon accepted to maintain correspondence with women's groups, which she has done for many years. As for the problem in general, it is the practical aspect that has to be resolved. In 1976-77 in a brief report of the activities of the department, the secretary, Fred Kaan, briefly summarized the situations thus: "Since the department of women's work was discontinued by a decision of the uniting general council in Nairobi in 1970, work of a coordinating nature was transferred to the department of cooperation and witness. Coordinator for women's work is Mrs Shanti Solomon, one of the WARC vice-presidents. Much of the administrative work involved is carried out by my colleague on the staff, Miss Paulette Piguet, who maintains a very effective correspondence with contact persons in women's work all around the world. As a result of these widespread contacts, the department is able to publish a yearly women's bulletin in English, French and German, with - more recently - digest editions in Indonesian. The Alliance has been represented at a number of international women's conferences and consultations."

Commitment in this field diminishes

In 1976, the executive committee meeting in London asked the department to undertake an inquiry on the practice of member churches regarding the admission of women to the ministry, and to collect study papers on this subject with a possible view to sending a report to all the member churches on the chances of women being eligible for all forms of employment and service in the church. In his report of 1976-77, as well as in the following, the secretary declared that this study had not been done because of lack of time.

In the same report it was also said, "(But) much of the administrative responsibility for communications among women and for bringing women's concerns to the notice of the Alliance family rests with the Geneva staff, who, since the departure of Miss Paulette Piguet, are less adequately geared for it than people might wish. It should be made honestly clear, therefore, that while women's concerns will receive due attention within the total framework of the Geneva operation, this will only be possible within such proportions as are imposed by limited available time, facilities and staffing. We shall have to rely heavily on the help and inventiveness of the women in our churches."

Between 1977 and 1979, the Alliance gave up all participation in the publication of the Advent Tryst (a series of meditations for Advent); the women's bulletin was abolished (the last appeared in 1978) and news of women's organizations was incorporated in Reformed World (which gave them a wider audience among English-speaking readers but left all the others wanting).

A sector to build up

This reduction in the commitment of WARC in the field of women's work was in some measure inevitable: one cannot do the work when the means and personnel are lacking. On the other hand we are convinced that when reductions are necessary this sector is one of the last where commitment should be diminished. On the contrary, it should be a sector to build up, firstly because the women's organizations are one of the few ways by which WARC can have direct or almost direct contact with the grassroots, the laity and the people of the church. All other contacts are with groups of leaders, bureaucratic machinery of the churches, and rarely with the Christian people. Naturally, women's organizations have groups of officers who, in the case of the big churches, manifest a certain bureaucracy. But in general and particularly with regard to a large number of small churches, the women's organizations offer almost direct relations with the simple believers. And this direct contact is vital for a body such as the Alliance. It is not a question of wishing to cut out the directors and legitimate representatives of the churches (even if one is sometimes tempted because too much material, too much information and documentation stops in their offices without succeeding in reaching the membership). It is a question, on the contrary, of preparing to meet the danger that always threatens organizations such as ours, the danger of becoming separated from their real roots. The terrain that feeds an Alliance of churches consists of the communities, the people, the believers in their reality; probably if more organizations of Christian men existed there would also be the possibility of more direct relations with the grassroots, but in the present circumstances, it is only the women's organizations that are to be found almost everywhere and that can secure this direct link with the everyday life of the people of Christ.

The second reason for not reducing the work among Christian women (or in any case for reducing it as little and as late as possible) is that in most countries and churches women represent the marginalized part of the general population and the church. We have a Christian responsibility to give priority to people that society leaves on the sidelines and this must have immediate effects on decisions concerning the work of the Alliance and the department. One could add that in a department of cooperation and witness, one cannot be unaware of the fact that we confirm or contradict by our behaviour and attitude all that we pronounce on equality, the respect of persons, concern for the forgotten, etc.

A third reason for not restricting our commitment in the field of work among Christian women is simply that these days the demands of the feminist movements, the appearance of a feminist theology, and the ecumenical programme on the "community of women and men in the church" makes these questions most relevant. Must we, as Reformed churches, be absent from the debate? It is obvious that the actual tendency is not to have a special sector for "women" but to work for the integration of women and men in the Christian community. But since the ecclesiastical machinery has always been and is still the almost exclusive prerogative of men, it is evident that it is women's organizations that demand an equality that does not yet exist, participation that is far from being equitable, a place that is still too tiny. The commitment of the department in this domain cannot be of a "paternalistic" kind that wishes to teach and direct, but must put itself at the service of the women's organizations of the member churches; give them space, make their voices heard, and attract the attention of the whole Alliance and all its members to the fact that as long as there is disparity, inequality, or marginalization legally or in effect, the Christian witness of us all will be weakened and without credibility.

Creation of a women's section in the department of cooperation and witness

It is from these convictions that the idea was born to publish a special number of the Reformed Press Service devoted exclusively to the work of women's groups. A second appeared at the beginning of 1982. Without committing ourselves definitively to recommencing the publication of the former women's bulletin, these special numbers have allowed us, on the one hand, to sound out the interest that exists for this kind of material in the women's groups themselves, and at the same time, to offer this material (and therefore to make heard the voices of women) to the readership of the Reformed Press Service, which includes all the member church leaders and a wide selection of the Reformed press worldwide and that is therefore wider than that of a uniquely feminine publication.

From the same convictions earlier mentioned arose the idea of consulting the women's organizations of the member churches as to what they expect of the department. This consultation - by correspondence, as noted in the report presented to the executive committee at Wuppertal 1981 - could have had the formal character of an inquiry by questionnaire. On the contrary, it was set up simply as a question posed in a circular. Even so, it brought in some very interesting replies.

Certain groups demanded outright the reestablishment of a women's department inside the Alliance. Others considered that the Alliance should suggest to certain women's groups to intervene in different areas concerned with human rights issues. The biggest number demanded more communication and information. They seem to feel the need to be helped conquer their isolation. It was in response to these demands that the executive committee at Wuppertal decided that a women's section should be organized in the department of cooperation and witness.

To create a section in the department could mean much or nothing. It could mean simply to put on another hat and use a different letter heading for what is already being done in the department, but it could also mean the formation of a group responsible for thinking up a programme, to set it going, to be committed to concrete actions. On this subject much will depend on the attitude of the general council, and this from two points of view. From the aspect of means, it is obvious that the amount of resources and personnel that the member churches put at the disposition of the Alliance will have a direct influence on the amount of work that it will be possible to carry out. But apart from means, if the general council takes a lively interest in the problem of the community of women and men in the church and thus also in the women's groups and their work, this fact alone could give impetus and inspiration to the people who must take on this work and allow the recruitment around this section of a certain number of women who would take care of it enthusiastically and seriously.

For the moment, and envisaging the most modest solution possible from the financial aspect, one could imagine a hypothesis of this nature:

Organization

1. the women who are members of the department of cooperation and witness (but one could simply say the women members of the executive committee) would constitute the sponsors and be morally responsible for the work of the section;
2. they could co-opt a certain number of women geographically close to the headquarters of the Alliance who would meet regularly and often to follow closely (and even to carry out in part, on a voluntary basis) the work of the section;
3. the fund for women's work held by the treasury of WARC would naturally be devoted to this work and enriched by gifts from women's organizations and others;
4. a certain percentage (as far as this can be determined) of departmental staff time would be specially allocated to the work of the section.

As for actual tasks, one could foresee them thus:

Traditional tasks

5. to take up again and intensify relations by correspondence with the groups and persons who lately have maintained links of this kind with women's groups;
6. to use the journeying of the members of the executive committee and personnel of the Alliance by entrusting to them the mission of visiting the women's organizations (and organizing visits with this aim);
7. to continue and intensify or modify the work done by WARC publications and suggest new forms of contacting and informing women and making their problems and ideas known to the Alliance in general;

New tasks

8. to organize a wide-reaching and detailed inquiry among women's organizations to have their opinions and suggestions and requests concerning the work of the section;
9. to encourage and help the member churches to become really aware of the recommendations and implications of the ecumenical programme, "community of women and men in the church" and to draw from them practical decisions for the work of the churches at national and local level;
10. to take up again the project abandoned in 1976 of an inquiry into the practice of Reformed churches with regard to the ministry of women and their accession to different forms of work or service in the churches;
11. work to obtain equal representation of men and women on all committees, groups, consultations, etc, inside the Alliance as well as in member churches.

Point viii) in particular could be developed in the sense not only of obtaining a summary response such as, in essence, the department has already received to its circular of last year, but also in the sense of going deeply into the real problems that exist in some churches, or in a particular area of the world, in order to promote the blossoming of a "sorority" (but also a fraternity) real and responsible, which would fight the discriminations to which women are normally subject.

With regard to point ii), it is obvious that it is not ideal from the viewpoint of worldwide representation, but it is inevitable from a financial one.

More women at the general council

The correspondence that accompanied the publication of the first special number of the press service on the work of women provided the department, with, among other things, the suggestion formulated by Mrs Dorinda Sampath, that a mechanism be found to increase the presence of women and young people at the general council. This proposition was incorporated in the report of the secretary to the department and was presented by it to the executive council at Wuppertal in 1981, where it was adopted. It is not necessary to go into the juridical details of this proposition. It is simply a constitutional mechanism that allows the nomination of women and young people as full members of the council where places are left vacant by the absence of certain delegates. The effectiveness of this measure will not be known until such time as the general council adopts it. Obviously, it is still a provisional measure, the simple remedy for a fault that we fully recognize as such, which is to say, the disparity in the number of male and female members of the council.

If the council itself recognizes that there is a fault there, an incompatibility of the church and the churches in general with the gospel message, the general council must take clear and effective measures to avoid this disparity being reproduced at the time of the convocation of the next council. This is an important and delicate question. In effect, if one approaches this question by the legal route, for example in proposing to insert in the WARC constitution a clause prescribing that each delegation be composed of an equal number of women and men, one risks letting loose bad will and it will end up appearing to be a legalism or an imposition. It is by conviction that equality must be obtained.

On the other hand, we know very well that routine traditionalism and the preponderance of men in the governing bodies will inevitably contribute to the continuation of disparity. One cannot not intervene. It would discourage numerous women and make the work of the department difficult to record that the council sees the problem of imbalance, is aware of its injustice, and does not correct it in a definitive manner. To lead this problem towards solution, the council could take measures that we venture to suggest to you here:

1. to solemnly declare its conviction that equal representation of men and women is desirable in each church delegation and is imperative in the total composition of the council;
2. to entrust the general secretariat and the department of cooperation and witness, each in its respective domain, to encourage the churches to follow this directive;
3. to modify article 2A of the by-laws in such a way that it incorporates and improves the mechanism that has been suggested this year and that it makes possible a balanced composition of the council in the case where balance is not achieved by the composition of the delegations.

Men and women in equal number in the executive committee

A last point concerns the composition of the executive committee. It would be fair and logical that this be balanced, with regard to the number of women and men that make it up. For this, there is no need to modify either the constitution or the by-laws. It is sufficient for the present council to have the political will to apply from now on the criteria of equal numbers in all its committees and request the nominations committee to bear this in mind. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of a decision of this kind? The only disadvantage is that it is more difficult to find women who have the required skills; it is not that they are lacking, it is that one is not used to thinking of them. In a committee one thinks normally of the men who could belong and then one "adds on" a certain number of women. The mental procedure should be different - from the start.

As for the advantages of having an executive committee with an equal balance of men and women, it is important to mention first of all the value of the witness that such a gesture would have. The Sheffield consultation on the "community of women and men in the church" had presented to the central committee of the WCC the recommendation that as from the Vancouver council (1983) all the committees and commissions of the WCC should have an equal number of men and women. At the central committee at Dresden virulent opposition, particularly on the part of the Orthodox, attenuated this demand. In the ecumenical framework, it is up to the Reformed (who in the past were the first to open the pastoral ministry to women) to manifest in a practical way what they believe in theory, the equality of men and women in the church.

The nomination of an executive committee balanced equally between men and women would undoubtedly also have positive results for the work of the section of the department of cooperation and witness devoted to the work of women: firstly, because there would be an important number of members of the executive directly interested in the work of the section, and then because that would really be the sign that the Alliance had passed the stage one could characterise by the slogan "take account of the women" to a stage to be defined as "cooperation between women and men". This in turn could give a new orientation and wider perspective to the work of the section on women's work and to the work of the whole department.

But in order that the nomination of a balanced executive committee be achieved in the best conditions, it is important, it seems to us, that the nominations committee itself be already composed of an equal number of women and men. We therefore encourage the delegates to the general council to oversee the composition of the nominations committee and to demand that it be balanced.

Human rights

As we have already said, it was in 1974 that the section on human rights first appeared in the reports of the department of cooperation and witness. Even before this time, it is obvious the problem was already present in the minds of the members of the department, at least in the form of preoccupation with "civil and religious liberties" (constitution article III, 8. "to promote and defend religious and civil liberties wherever threatened throughout the world").

Since then, WARC has several times sent representatives to various ecclesiastical or international meetings where questions of liberty and human rights were being discussed and the press service has made known to the churches the results and published the most important documents.

The problem in itself has different aspects. On the one hand, when a church is threatened or deprived of its rights and action must be taken or a government contacted, it is a question that concerns the general policy of the Alliance and therefore the general secretariat. On the other hand, the study of the theological grounds for human rights was conducted, as was logical, by the department of theology, which continues to carry on a limited research project on this same subject. Finally, it is quite impossible to imagine that a work of cooperation with the churches could be done without the question of religious liberty and other liberties being present in the mind of the person who makes a visit or establishes a plan for helping a member church. It is therefore a problem that is permanently on the agenda both of the general secretariat and each of the two departments.

The executive committee of 1981 decided to "demand... that a document be prepared for the general council with suggestions concerning the creation of a 'section for religious and civil liberty' inside the department".

The first step towards a document of this kind being formulated is to address the following question to the council and to the member churches. What importance do they attach to this issue and how far do they wish to commit themselves to make work possible in this domain. As always, one can do the work if one has the means to carry it out. The "churches, human rights programme for the implementation of the Helsinki final act", which is supported by the Conference of European Churches, the council of churches of the US and the council of churches of Canada, employs two people full time and has an annual budget of almost CHF250,000. Its action is limited to the countries who are signatories to the Helsinki Agreement, ie limited to what is sometimes called the "Helsinki area". Here the churches begin to see that something is moving, one questions them, one gives them material for discussion on this subject, and probably one could intervene in actual cases. All this while keeping within fairly modest boundaries. If the Reformed churches wish to commit themselves to the same extent it is not difficult to imagine a series of area meetings in different parts of the world to make the churches sensitive to the problem and to verify their attitude in this respect, and then to start acting themselves in favour of a certain number of actual cases. This would be in some sort to match outside the Helsinki area what the above mentioned programme does inside it. But is this not a Utopian dream? Are the Reformed churches ready to commit themselves in this way?

One other possibility is that of setting up a section for religious and civil liberty inside the department of cooperation and witness such as it is now, that is to say, without augmenting either the budget or the staff. To be realistic, one could certainly not count on more than two days work a month on the part of the department secretary and a typist. The work in this case would consist of 1) establishing a form of cooperation with the people who look after similar problems at the ecumenical centre in Geneva (World Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, Conference of European Churches); 2) exploring the possibility of establishing a network of correspondents and voluntary collaborators; 3) establishing contacts by letter - and personal contacts on visits undertaken for other reasons of work - with the churches in order to alert those who are less aware of the issue, collect data on actual situations where violations occur or are likely to occur; and to communicate these cases to the churches and to organizations who would have the means to intervene effectively. In carrying out this work we should be alert to using opportunities to take other initiatives without increasing the investment of time or money. This is not much different from what the Alliance has been doing these last years. It would simply be a way of formalising this work by officially setting up a section that would be responsible for it. One might ask oneself if the name "section" would not be a little pompous in this case.

Between these two hypotheses there is naturally room for other intermediary possibilities: More time, money and staff being available the more work can be done. But whatever the size of the section, the fundamental criteria of the work can hardly change: 1) to not repeat what others are doing but to collaborate with the bodies in the ecumenical centre who are active in this work; 2) to render the churches sensitive to these problems; 3) as far as possible not to react in place of the churches but to stimulate them to act and help them to act; the time available will fix the limits of this "help"; 4) in cases of flagrant violations of the rights of freedom of a member church that called for interventions having implications for the general policy of the Alliance, the section would naturally be at the disposition of and await orders from the general secretary.

Probably the only truly realistic hypothesis is that which we mentioned above at the end of the paragraph on "giving us the means to accomplish the task" and that foresees a quarter of the time of one person at executive level (plus the assistance of the secretarial/administrative staff). This is not much but it is enough to assure a consistent and not too fragmented work and deserves to be called a "section" in the department.

Whatever the structure of the section, it is however difficult to exactly define the volume of its field of activity. Is this only the question of religious liberty? This argument could be defended taking into account the limited dimensions of the section: useless, because it is impossible - one could say - to look after all liberties. It is necessary to limit oneself to religious liberty.

This however is not the attitude adopted by the constitution of the Alliance that speaks of religious and civil liberty. But what exactly does this expression mean? Today one cannot conceive of religious freedom as a right in itself but as one of the facets of freedom in general. Where there is no religious freedom, there is no liberty, quite simply. In this case one cannot as a Christian fight to preserve or conquer a little island of freedom for the church while neglecting the lack of freedom in society. This would be working to create privilege for oneself. One cannot therefore from the point of view of witness, do other than fight for the liberty of all and complete liberty, which will include this aspect that concerns us most directly - that of religious liberty. The case is not different when society takes the initiative of creating an island of freedom around the church in opposition to the lack of freedom that exists in other aspects of life to which would be subject those who do not belong to the church. In these conditions the church effectively becomes hostage or accomplice in the situation. "To promote and defend religious and civil liberty" cannot be otherwise interpreted than as an effort of the churches that human, social, political and economic rights should be applied and respected, individual ones as well as collective ones.

Let us add for information's sake that even before coming to Geneva, the present secretary of the department collaborated in the churches' human rights programme for the implementation of the Helsinki final act and that he has been encouraged by the department to continue this work.

Programme of the John Knox Centre

The John Knox International Reformed Centre is administered by an association that is legally independent of WARC, but that has the same aims of making known the Reformed message in today's world and of Reformed cooperation in the heart of the ecumenical movement. For a certain number of years, the centre has received individual guests and groups who come with their own programme. During the past year, the centre has started developing its own programme, that is to say, organizing conferences on topics of general interest for Reformed Christians. The programme is just starting. At the moment of writing a first conference of Reformed theological students has been organized on the theme of traditional and modern confessions of faith. According to the participants, the conference was a success from all points of view. The second conference is being arranged for June 1982 and will be for ministers, and will have as its theme the problems and crises of the pastoral ministry today.

The secretary of the department of cooperation and witness participates in the work of the programme committee (and led discussions at the two conferences) in the conviction that such meetings are a form of cooperation between Reformed Christians with a view to common witness. Without pretending to give orders to the committee that is formally independent of the council, this last could make some suggestions as to topics and the kind of people for whom conferences could be organized, without encroaching on the autonomy of the programme committee or the association committee, this last being responsible for the management of the centre. The committees do not, at the moment, intend to over widen the scope of the programme, preferring to allow it to grow at its own pace and take its place as a centre for elaborating Reformed thought in the light of experience.

A point of reference and a rallying point

Coming to the end of this review of the activity of the department of cooperation and witness we should mention a more general preoccupation.

During the meeting of the executive committee at Seoul 1979, the necessity for WARC to become more "visible" was spoken of. The theme of "visibility" has been seen more than once in the reports. Lately it was the subject of a discussion during the European committee meeting of the Alliance in Belfast. The word "visibility" is not always a suitable one because it can be interpreted in contradictory ways. We therefore prefer to drop the word but not lose sight of the matter raised at Seoul, because it is a necessary part of the concerns of the department of cooperation and witness.

To be "visible" in the sense used at Seoul does not mean to be grand, conspicuous, encumbrant, etc, but rather to be useful and accessible; rather a lighthouse than a skyscraper or a cathedral, rather a key word than a speech.

A Reformed people scattered to the four corners of the world, often made up of small, minority churches, subject to different sorts of political, social and cultural pressures, sometimes uncertain of the precise sense of its ecumenical commitment, needs something to help it to unite and to see its way clearly. We do not need an authoritative power to tell us what we must think, but one that stimulates us towards common reflection; not someone who will push us in one direction but who helps us to understand where we are; not someone who imposes an idea on us but who says what we recognize to be the expression of what we would like to say ourselves and in which we can recognize ourselves. I would say a standard, a rallying sign if these terms did not have a rather war-like sound. Because it is not a question of assembling "against" but of assembling "for".

Can the Alliance become a centre with which one can identify without becoming a centre of power or control?

This would render a very important service to Reformed Christians, a service that would probably allow for better collaboration and, undoubtedly, a clearer witness.

How do we arrive at this point, practically speaking? We think that the Alliance should dare to make certain symbolic gestures and speak out in a far-sighted way. If one takes the World Council of Churches, not necessarily as a model, but as a well-known point of reference, one must admit that a gesture such as the withdrawal of funds from certain banks that invest in racist countries had a symbolic character. One can contest the message it bore - but the message itself is loud and clear.

With regard to the Alliance, a just decision on the question of the number of women and men to elect to the executive committee - if it were not taken in a bureaucratic spirit but in recognition of the talents and gifts that the Spirit has given to all believers, women as well as men - it would have an important symbolic bearing.

But this is not the only symbolic gesture possible. Others could arise from reflection undertaken together.

The Alliance needs a dialectic, a constant interchange between periods of decision making and moments of reflection. We have on the one hand meetings of the executive committee that take decisions but that has hardly any time to devote to discussion, study or research, and on the other hand a few rare area meetings (such as Seoul in 1979 and in a sense, also, Poiana Brasov 1980) of which the deliberations are sometimes difficult to transform into attitudes and decisions. We must try to have more opportunities for research and reflection together on the themes of our lives as Reformed Christians and to establish a better link between the product of these reflections and decision making.

Symbolic and farseeing gestures on one hand and the confrontation of ideas and experiences such as those to which we have just alluded perhaps go beyond the traditional framework of the activity of the department of cooperation and witness. But they seem to us essential or even primary elements of an engagement that is really concerned with promoting cooperation between the churches committed to the way of witness and sensitive to the functioning of communication. For this reason we would particularly draw the attention of the council of Ottawa to these points.

Conclusion

The hypothesis of work that governs this report and that is born of past experience, and the deliberations and suggestions of the executive council, envisage - it is now clear - that the department employ (at executive level) one person full time for the section "information/communication"; one person at a quarter time for the women's section; one person at a quarter time for the human rights section and one full-time person for the cooperation sector. This last could perhaps be reduced if certain propositions formulated in this report for the expansion of this sector are eliminated.

We are convinced that the Reformed churches appreciate the amount of work that is necessary to respond to the demands of the constitution and to the requests of the member churches and that they would wish to provide the necessary tools for the churches (particularly the underprivileged) to receive from the Alliance real aid and support in order to accomplish their mission of witness to Jesus Christ in the world.