Bruce Kent tilts at sleeping giant

by Christopher Rails MORE THAN 900 people attending last Saturday's Christian CND conference, "Profess and Survive" in Coventry Cathedral, listened to rousing calls to action by Mgr Bruce Kent, CND's general secretary, and Canon Paul Oestreicher, its vice-chairman.
Mgr Kent said that last year's conference at the London University Church of Christ the King, Gordon Square, was attended by 110 people, and two years ago it had been a small group in a sitting room.
He called the mainstream Church a "sleeping giant" that had to be woken. Exhorting Christians to join peace movements, wear badges, and attend demonstrations, he said: "It must be seen that the Christian peace movement is as broad as the human race itself'.
"It will cost time, energy, money, friends, ambition and career prospects, but these are not important compared with what we're saying" he added. "We must curb the arms race or face annihilation."
Canon Oestreicher said survival could be understood by way of the Cross.
"A love of those who wish to destroy us must be at the heart of what Christian CND is all about,' he said.
Writer and broadcaster Sue Dowell spoke on the topic: What can women do to prevent war? And Jan Van Veen of the Dutch Inter-Church Peace Council outlined Christian initiatives against nuclear arms in the Netherlands.
A service for peace and reconciliation held in the ruins of the old cathedral. blitzed in the last war, was led by the Bishop of St Andrews. Michael Hare Duke.