wfn.org | RSV Bible 50th Anniversary, Awards, Resolutions Conclude NCC Assembly

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National Council of Churches
Contact: NCC/CWS News, 212-870-2252
news@ncccusa.org; www.ncccusa.org

RSV Bible Anniversary, Awards, Resolutions Conclude NCC Assembly
November 16, 2002, TAMPA, Fla. -- Joy and reverence marked the National
Council of Churches General Assembly's celebration of the 50th anniversary
of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, as translators shared what it
means to them to work so closely with the Bible's sacred texts.
"Translation is a serious business," Dr. Walter J. Harrelson reflected at
the dinner celebration in Tampa, Fla., Nov. 16, which concluded the
assembly's Nov. 14-16 annual meeting.  The Bible is "a reality so mysterious
and powerful that it has opened the eyes of many through the centuries.
It's a text that has claimed our own lives."
The NCC holds the copyright on the RSV -- of which the Old and New
Testaments were published Sept. 30, 1952 -- and its successor, the New
Revised Standard Version Bible, published in 1989.
The Rev. Arthur (Bud) O. Van Eck, former director of the NCC's Bible
Translation and Utilization work, described the decision to keep the Revised
Standard Version in print, not terminate it upon publication of the New
Revised Standard Version.  "People love it," he said of the RSV.
A second celebration of the golden anniversary of the Revised Standard
Version of the Bible is slated for a luncheon on Monday, November 25, during
the meetings in Toronto of the American Association of Religion and Society
of Biblical Literature.
Also at the Saturday night dinner:
7	NCC President Elenie K. Huszagh, Esq., honored Mrs. Erato
Kozakou-Marcoullis, Ambassador of Cyprus to the United States, with the 2002
NCC President's Award, hailing her "struggles for justice and peace" for the
people of the Mediterranean island nation.  Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974,
and continues to occupy one-third of the country in defiance of United
Nations resolutions.  Now, with both Turkey and Cyprus seeking membership in
the European Union, there is renewed pressure for a resolution.  The
Ambassador, addressing the General Assembly, said, "We want to see our
people -- Christian and Muslim, Greek and Turkish, build a common home in
unity and cooperation, build bridges of tolerance and understanding.  We
need justice and the rule of law, where the human rights of all citizens are
fully safeguarded.  We need peace, demilitarization, a culture of inclusion,
respect and dignity."
7	NCC General Secretary Robert W. Edgar honored Dr. Jack McConnell,
Founder
of Volunteers in Medicine, with the 2002 NCC General Secretary's Award.  Dr.
McConnell led the team that invented Tylenol and was among architects of the
Human Genome Project, Dr. Edgar said.	Retirement led Dr. McConnell to
Hilton Head, S.C., where he realized that the affluent community also was
home to thousands of poor people who lacked medical care of any kind.  "He
became an evangelist for medical service for those who had none," Dr. Edgar
said.  In 1993, he recruited retired healthcare professionals to staff the
first Volunteers in Medicine Clinic there, which now provides "free,
dignified and technically cutting edge medical service to those without
health care."	Since 1996, his Volunteers in Medicine Institute has
replicated that model, establishing some more 30 clinics with another 40 to
60 clinics in the process of development.  Dr. McConnell sent his
appreciation for the award and regrets at not being able to be present to
receive it.
On Saturday, the NCC General Assembly also:
7	approved establishment of an NCC-wide planning commission to
recommend
next steps in ecumenical work around the issue of genetic engineering. The
commission is to bring its recommendations to the May 2003 meeting of the
NCC Executive Board.
7	voted unanimously to call on the Israeli government to recognize the
August 2001 canonical election of His Beatitude Irenaios as Patriarch of the
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.  Without that recognition, explain
ed NCC President Elenie Huszagh, the Patriarchate is unable to function as a
legal entity in Israel, and is thus unable to oversee properly the Holy
Shrines and other property under its jurisdiction and to operate the
schools, hospitals and other institutions through which is serves Greek
Orthodox Christians in the Holy Land.  The American Jewish Committee
repeatedly has asked the Israeli government to recognize Patriarch Irenaios,
she noted

Also on Saturday:
7	The Rev. Bertrice Wood of the United Church of Christ, Executive
Director
of Churches Uniting in Christ, led worship, and the Church of the Brethren
delegation led Bible study on the theme "Working for Peace," drawing on
Matthew 5:9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children
of God."
-end-