Bishop Pike Resigns

Episcopal Bishop James A. Pike, who is full of surprises, came up with the biggest one yet this month. He resigned.

The dynamic and controversial bishop, noted for theological vagaries, wants to be relieved of the pressures of administering the Diocese of California to become a “scholar-teacher” at the freewheeling Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions in Santa Barbara, California.

Pike told Associated Press he was “not driven to my decision by critics; actually, my critics delayed the decision. Every so often, there would be a little flurry, so I stayed.”

Heresy charges against Pike have never gotten off the ground, but reaction was strong after his most recent assault on tradition in Look magazine (see CHRISTIANITY TODAY, February 18 issue, page 46). Authoritative church sources said several influential bishops held an extraordinary showdown meeting with Pike at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, where he was encouraged to seek a new post. The bishop had been thinking of returning to academic life as a result of a sabbatical leave in England. A second bishops’ meeting reportedly was held at O’Hare several weeks ago.

Pike would be the first Episcopal bishop ever to leave church work for a secular position. In his letter of resignation to Presiding Bishop John Hines, Pike said he would remain a bishop and participate in church affairs as requested.

Hines issued a noncommittal statement noting that Pike’s letter would be sent to members of the House of Bishops. A majority vote by letter would approve the change and is expected.

Pike’s move was a surprise even to associates at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. He met with the diocesan standing committee May 10, and it accepted the resignation “with regret.” Notification then went to diocesan clergymen.

Pike led the diocese for nearly eight years. During that time it gained 113 additional clergymen and seventeen churches, and the budget went from $330,855 to $896,000. But Pike’s novel doctrines have caused increasing dissension in recent years, among both clergy and laity. Financial support for the diocese lagged noticeably this year, and a special convention was called to consider changing from voluntary giving to assessments. The night before he resigned, Pike defended his ideas at Trinity Episcopal Church in Hayward, whose rector had accused the bishop of “betrayal of the sacred vows that you made at the time of your ordination.”

Since Pike would still carry authority as a bishop, such critics as Canon Albert du Bois of the American Church Union aren’t satisfied. He believes Pike “could do great damage” if quoted as a church authority while under even less church restraint than before. Although Pike cannot resign as a bishop, Du Bois suggests he make it clear that he does not intend to exercise the office.

Pike was named head of the diocese at the rather early age of 45. He was originally a Roman Catholic who became an agnostic in college. A marriage during this period was annulled. He was a Navy officer and lawyer before entering the Episcopal ministry. Pike is married to the former Esther Yanovsky and they have had four children, of whom three are still living. The bishop, author of many books, holds the degrees of A.B., LL.B., J.S.D., and B.D., and a string of honorary doctorates.

Poland: Where Did It Start?

Roman Catholics in Poland showed their strength this month in a large pilgrimage to ancient Jasna Gora monastery at Czestochowa. Pilgrims have been coming to Czestochowa for centuries to pay homage at the Black Madonna shrine. This time the pilgrimage was part of a long series of observances marking 1,000 years of Christianity in Poland. The big parade apparently came off with no major incidents. Although relations between the Polish Roman Catholic hierarchy and Communist officials remain tense, there has been little direct confrontation, either verbal or physical.

Religious News Service estimates that about one million people filed past the famed image of Our Lady of Czestochowa, which was brought outside its monastery shrine for the anniversary celebrations.

The convent at Czestochowa is the oldest in Poland. Some tradition holds that the picture of the Virgin Mary there was the work of Luke. At any rate, miraculous events have been associated with her as “the Queen of Poland.” Three centuries ago, Polish Catholics established a covenant with the “Queen,” and adulation of Mary is still as strong in Poland today as anywhere else in the world.

Attention to Mary and the tensions with Communists seemed to push considerations of the real origins of Christianity in Poland into the background of the anniversary celebrations.

Tv Viewers In Dutch

A Dutch couple is barred from confirmation in an ultra-conservative church because the wife watched Princess Beatrix’s marriage on television. The 30,000-member Reformed Congregations took a stand last June not against TV as such but against the way it is “abused” and its temptations to worldliness.

Mr. and Mrs. C. J. M. van Hoef, a young couple, had been baptized as infants and were going through confirmation classes when the Rev. A. W. Verhoef lowered the boom. Contrary to published reports, he did not bar the van Hoefs from attending church, and the pastor says he is on friendly terms with the couple.

Van Hoef took it all rather philosophically, and his wife saw a silver lining as well—“at least we’ve bought the new clothes [for the confirmation service]. Otherwise I would never have gotten them!”

No one is quite sure who the first Polish Christians were. Some think the introduction of the Christian religion might be traced to Cyril and Methodius, brothers of Thessalonica who came as missionaries to central Europe’s Slavs in the mid-ninth century. The first well-authenticated conversion is that of the Duke Mieszka. In 965 or 966 he married Dobrawa, sister of Boleslav II of Bohemia. She was a Christian, and it is said that under her influence he was baptized in 966 or 967. The newlyweds had a great Christian influence upon the Poles. After Dobrawa died, Mieszka is said to have married a former nun and to have continued to evangelize among his people.

The masses did not take to Christianity easily. But neither did they revert to paganism. Official restrictions may have helped; the harsh discipline included such penalties as having teeth knocked out for violations of the fast.

Today the Roman Catholic Church claims about 30 million members in Poland, plus 5 million Poles in the United States and another 5 million scattered throughout the world. The total is nearly a tenth of the global constituency of Roman Catholicism.

Protestants are a tiny minority in Poland, but some recent reports indicate they may soon become a more important factor in the nation’s ecclesiastical makeup.

Burmese Exodus

All foreign missionaries are being forced to leave Burma by the end of this month. Now, as during World War II, Christians in this predominantly Buddhist land are on their own.

Anglican Bishop V. G. Shearburn calls the government move “a hard knock” but is confident about the future. The American Baptist Convention says of the Burmese, “They have come of age. They are ready. Missionaries have not been in positions of convention leadership for many years.”

About 300 missionaries are affected, including these from America: twenty-three Roman Catholics, twenty-three Baptists, seven Seventh-day Adventists, and five Methodists. There are more than 700 ordained Protestant nationals and a constituency of 750,000.

The London Observer says the government made the move both to appease the Buddhist hierarchy, which influences the vast majority of the population, and to chasten rebellious non-Burmese tribes, where Christianity has made its greatest inroads.

In neighboring Cambodia, missionaries continue to have trouble getting renewal of entry visas. Many churches remain closed, with Christians allowed to meet in small groups (not more than six persons) in private homes.

No Viet Calm

United States Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge left Viet Nam this month for talks with Pope Paul and President Johnson during a lull between storms. But the touchy political truce was then shaken by Premier Ky’s statements that his military junta would be around for another year.

The forthcoming election of a constitutional convention is being preceded by furious activity. A Saigon bloc seeks to woo popular General Nguyen Chanh Thi from central Viet Nam (and the influence of Buddhist Tri Quang) as a new pro-American, anti-Communist leader.

In the central city of Da Nang, some Christians report they were held for days by Buddhists during the recent riots; others were accused of hiding arms in mission compounds. Known Communist cadres that formerly dared operate only in rural areas are now moving freely in Da Nang. Some missionaries who left the city have returned. In neighboring Hue, last-minute appeals to Buddhists kept the Protestant Youth Center open during disturbances.

Protestants’ stance in the political turmoil continues to be awkward. The government invited their participation in the recent Political Congress in Saigon, which planned formation of a civilian regime, and Pastor Doan Van Mieng named two laymen to attend. But the evangelical church executive committee had not been informed of the move. It met and released an official church statement that it does not engage in politics (although individual members are not proscribed front political activity).

DALE HERENDEEN

Maybe Even A Barkeeper

Translating the Bible into new languages can mushroom and diversify. Wycliffe Bible Translators has now expanded to the point where it needs not only linguists but also doctors, nurses, teachers, pilots, mechanics, printers, artists, accountants, radio technicians, agronomists, and a wide assortment of secretarial and administrative help.

“Virtually anyone but the barkeeper can be used,” says Wycliffe head Cameron Townsend. “And if he gets converted, we’d even like a second look at him.”

Wycliffe appointed 190 new missionary members last year and hopes to add 300 more during 1966.

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