THE Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Michael Ramsey, was praised for his "courageous and wise lead" over Rhodesia by the Rev. Paul Oestreicher, who is Associate Secretary of the International Department of the British Council of Churches. a t Westminster Abbey on Sunday.
"I believe that his highly political intervention in our national life was the fruit of much prayer and sound knowledge," declared Mr. Oestreicher in his evensong sermon. "And it corresponded with the views of the Christian Council of Rhodesia.
He added: "Far from crying
for anyone's blood, the Archbishop was profoundly concerned for peace in Rhodesia. He knew then, as we must all know, that no true peace is possible in a police state. in a racialist society, where four million Africans are dominated by 200.000 white people."
The Archbishop's statement on Rhodesia before UDI was declared had been "widely and by sonic deliberately misunderstood."
• In his monthly diocesan notes, Dr. Ramsey this week says "we must not shrink from whatever resolution is needed nor damage the prospects of a generous settlement in Rhodesia."