THE CHURCHES AND RAPID SOCIAL CHANCE

A great, seething social change is going on throughout the backward countries of the world. The Western Church has been both weak and confused in meeting the challenge in the well plowed missionary fields. Paul Abrecht has made a detailed, intelligent study both of the new emerging theological and political problems and the nascent national awakenings following in their wake. The author is well qualified to write authoritatively on these matters. He has for six years made a study of the World Council of Churches on the Church and areas of rapid social change. His findings are well written, thoroughly annotated and strongly supported by facts. Due to Western Christianity's lack of unity, its reluctance to enter the political field, and the fact that western Christianity has so often tried to impose an alien culture upon a centuries-old native way of life, the western Church has almost completely failed to meet the challenge of rapid social change. The failure is further complicated by the inroads of communism. The answer, the author feels, is to turn the whole matter over to the ""young church"", i.e., the native-led church. These native leaders are a part of both cultures and have a chance of attaining unity in Christian ideals. The western Christians must, however, stand by to strengthen and sponsor, but not to control.