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Chapter Five - “And Whether Pigs Have Wings”: The United Church in the 1960s
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Chapter Five “And Whether Pigs Have Wings”: The United Church in the 1960s Sandra Beardsall Moderators: 1960–62 Hugh A. McLeod 1962–64 James R. Mutchmor 1964–66 Ernest M. Howse 1966–68 Wilfred C. Lockhart 1968–70 Robert B. McClure (first lay moderator) President of the Woman’s Association 1960–62 J.Y. MacKinnon President of the Woman’s Missionary Society 1960–62 Reba Patterson Chairs of the Board of Women 1962–64 Jean Hutchinson 1964–70 Blanche McIntyre Key Reports, Statements, and Actions of General Council 1962 Women’s work integrated into the boards of the church UCW created through merger of WMS and WA 1964 Ordained married women permitted to continue to work in ministry 1966 GC recommends “marriage breakdown” as grounds for divorce; asks for alternative to Act of Parliament as method for granting divorces 97 98 S A N D R A B E A R D S A L L Approval of Principles of Union with Anglican Church of Canada Agreement to produce a new hymnary jointly with the Anglican Church Approval of Plan of Union with Evangelical United Brethren Report of the Commission on World Mission advocates “whole world” mission based on aid and interfaith cooperation 1968 Union with EUB officially begins January 1 Commission on Ministry recommends establishment of a “Divison of Ministry and Personnel Services”; increased rights for ordinands at transfer/settlement New Creed approved 1969 Two Service Books––for ministers and for worshippers–– published Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) joins union discussions Demography 1961 Number of persons under pastoral care: 2,609,415 UCC membership: 3,664,008 Population of Canada: 18,238,2471 Introduction Rachel Cameron is thirty-four years old, single, living with her mother and teaching in the fictional prairie town of Manawaka. As the protagonist of Margaret Laurence’s 1966 novel, A Jest of God, Rachel profoundly resists the unnamed Protestant faith community in which she was raised. When asked by her mother why she doesn’t want to go to church, Rachel muses, “I didn’t say God hadn’t died recently, within the last few years, but a long time ago, longer than I could recall, for I could not actually recall a time when He was alive. No use to say that. I only told her I didn’t agree with everything.”2 Rachel and her struggles are emblematic of the world that emerged around the United Church in the 1960s. The disaffection that had led to a steady loss of population share beginning in the early 1940s had been masked by the preoccupations of the Second World War and the postwar population explosion.3 But in the 1960s questions surfaced, the health of “God” came under scrutiny, and in 1966, for the first time in its history, The United Church of Canada saw a 2,000-member drop in its membership (to 1,062,000), the start of a decline from which it has never recovered.4 Growing wealth, suburban expansion, and waves of postwar immigration were remaking the nation.While Canada did not undergo the immense [44.193.77.196] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 08:38 GMT) “ A N D W H E T H E R P I G S H A V E W I N G S ” 99 social, political, and racial upheaval experienced by the United States, there was enough social change to deeply affect its churches. The notion of a “welfare state” was in full blossom in the 1960s. Between 1945 and 1975, the number of federal government employees tripled. As the state, with the enthusiastic support of mainstream churches, took over most of the responsibility for health, education, and social welfare, the overt role of these churches in public life declined. The postwar explosion of technology and industry; the population boom that resulted in a well-fed, curious generation of young people; a growing “internationalism” and tolerance of cultural difference; an emerging sense of “Canadian identity” encouraged by widespread national centennial celebrations in 1967; the Révolution Tranquille in Quebec; and political foment to the south all placed the Christian churches on unknown footing.5 The various constituencies of the United Church of the 1960s scarcely viewed these trends as cause for despair.6 Church leaders spoke with vigorous and enthusiastic voices. Congregations continued the building boom of the 1950s, particularly with the addition of Christian education wings to existing churches. Adults engaged in study programs and outreach ministries . United Church members continued to...