Protestants my find in the new form of worship eventually to come out of the Vatican Council ‘a stronger Biblical emphasis, as well as more stress on the homily.”

This hope was expressed by Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan in addresses this week before the Men’s Club of All Saints Episcopal Church and the Inter-Seminary Group at Emory University.

The archbishop, who is the only American bishop on the Liturgical Commission on the Vatican council, also suggested the “The Orthodox may find there is room in the Latin Liturgy for Holy Communion under two species, and concelebration of Mass by more than one priest.’

The Archbishop added: “These changes are not a ‘modernization’ nor a return to antiquity. It is a renewal in the true sense; an application of old and honored principles to new and urgent situations.”

An extract from the archbishop’s talk follows: “In his message before the Vatican Council convened, and especially in his historic allocation on the opening day, Pope John used the word, “new” dozens of times. In one sentence he used it three times; “The Church must look to the present, to the new conditions and new forms of life introduced into the modern world which have opened new avenues to the Catholic Apostolate.”

“As the bishops returned to their Sees, it was this sense of renewal, sweeping through the Christian world, that has opened up “new avenues” to that unity which is the prayer of Protestants and Orthodox, as well as Catholics. American bishops, more than ever before, are meeting with churchmen of other faiths, discussing the Council, sorting out similar and divergent positions, and sharing a serious but congenial concern for the grave needs of modern men. Did the Vatican Council not only open new avenues, but flood them with the kindly light of inter-religious dialogue?

“The first session encouraged us to hope so, in two ways. First, the overwhelming note on the first chapter of the liturgy is now being appreciated in its full historical context. Although is still awaits the completion of the remaining chapters, and promulgation by the Holy Father, this first chapter has already awakened Catholic hearts in many lands.

“The increased us of the vernacular is only one aspect, making it intelligible to Christians of other faiths. Protestants may find in the new form of worship a stronger Biblical emphasis, as well as more stress on the homily.

Orthodox may find there is room in the Latin Liturgy for Holy Communion under two species, and concelebration of Mass by more than one priest. These changes will not be “modernization” not a return to antiquity. They will be a renewal in the true sense; and application of old and honored principles to new and urgent situations.

“The second ecumenical fact from this first session is the Bible itself. More and more of the Council Fathers expressed a desire to center the teaching of theology on the Scriptures themselves. This is a delicate and difficult area, because it was the cry of “Sola Scriptura” which helped divide Christianity in the 16th century. The Word of God is the concern of every Christian, but Catholic and Protestants have differed sharply in their interpretations.

“The role of the living Church as the witness of God’s word must be studied more deeply, and we invite our Protestant brethren to join in this study with us. The notable gains in the first session of the Council are the encouragement of Biblical scholarship within the Teaching authority of the Church, and the reconsideration of the relation between the Bible and tradition. Although nothing definite has been accomplished here, the Catholic attention given to the whole subject is another welcome beam of light on an ecumenical avenue that up to now has hardly been traveled.”