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publicity aimed at her election towards the issues important to the NCC, including racial issues and relationships with conservative churches. By the late 1960s the
Episcopal Church was one of the few Protestant denominations that did not ordain women, but Wedel described that policy as "more objectionable in theory than restrictive in practice." During and after her presidency, she traveled the U.S. preaching and speaking in favor of church unity. She was succeeded by
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Wedel was also an active participant in the World
Council of Churches (WCC), serving on the WCC committee on the laity from 1961 to 1968. She was elected as one of the six presidents of the WCC in 1975, becoming the only woman to head both organizations. She served in that role until 1983. During her
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Wedel was involved in other organizations as well, describing herself as "the busiest volunteer in
Washington." In the 1970s she was the associate director of the Center for Voluntarism of the Institute for Applied Behavioral Science. She was named the deputy national volunteer coordinator for blood
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decided to run against her, it became the first time the election had been contested. Wedel ignored suggestions she should withdraw and the NCC's 1969 convention was tumultuous, though she received 387 of the 480 votes cast. After her election as the first female president, she worked to direct the
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After graduating from
Northwestern, Clark became the director of the Christian education program at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Evanston. In 1934 she moved to New York City to work at the national headquarters of the Episcopal Church, first as a fieldworker, then as the director of youth work.
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Wedel served on the board of the
National Council of Churches (NCC) from 1955 to 1969. She was the first woman to serve as the associate general secretary for Christian unity, a position on the board responsible for ecumenical relations.
131:
Cynthia Clark was born in
Dearborn, Michigan, on August 26, 1908. Her parents were Arthur Pierson Clark and Elizabeth Snow Clark. She grew up in Dearborn; Buffalo, New York; and Evanston, Illinois.
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She married
Theodore Otto Wedel in May 1939; they moved to Washington, D.C., together later that year when he was offered a position as warden of the College of Preachers of the
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She died August 24, 1986, at a retirement community in
Alexandria, Virginia. At her death, general secretary of the World Council of Churches
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186:. Wedel was one of several women from Church Women United appointed by President Kennedy in 1961 to serve on the
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417:"Enabled by the Holy Spirit: church women united and the development of ecumenical Christian feminism"
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Wedel was nominated to become president of the NCC in 1969. When United Church of Christ pastor
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Feminist coalitions : historical perspectives on second-wave feminism in the United States
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said Wedel was "one of the brightest spirits in the ecumenical church of our time".
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and as a member of the national executive board of the
Episcopal Women's Auxiliary.
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499:"Ecumenical foremothers: commemorating, celebrating, and continuing their legacy"
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services at the
American Red Cross in 1979. She wrote several books, including
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time in that position, she maintained relationships with the leadership of the
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leader and educator. Wedel was the first woman to be named president of the
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Employed Women and the Church: Study and Discussion Guide for Church Groups
318:(2nd ed.). Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. pp. 625–626.
166:. She also served in numerous volunteer roles, including for the
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described her as "the first lady of ecumenism," and Bishop
111:(August 26, 1908 – August 24, 1986) was an
355:"Cynthia C. Wedel Dies At 77; Ex-Head of Church Council"
423:. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. p. 124.
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Between 1955 and 1958, she also was the president of
555:"Black Clergyman From NY Will Head Churches Council"
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In 1972 she received the Northwestern Alumni Medal.
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271:. New York: Church Publishing. pp. 313–314.
265:Hein, David; Shattuck, Jr., Gardiner H. (2005).
162:. From 1939 to 1949, she taught religion at the
119:. She was elected one of the presidents of the
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468:"Recalling 'First Lady of Ecumenism'"
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654:George Washington University alumni
164:National Cathedral School for Girls
466:Hyer, Marjorie (August 30, 1986).
224:Citizenship, Our Christian Concern
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674:Religious leaders from Michigan
612:Northwestern Alumni Association
419:. In Gilmore, Stephanie (ed.).
669:People from Evanston, Illinois
664:People from Dearborn, Michigan
659:Northwestern University alumni
535:. December 5, 1969. p. 32
353:Cook, Joan (August 28, 1986).
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503:Journal of Ecumenical Studies
312:Benowitz, June Melby (2017).
160:Washington National Cathedral
140:George Washington University
117:National Council of Churches
90:George Washington University
608:"Northwestern Alumni Medal"
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497:Fuchs, Lorelei F. (2010).
415:Neumann, Caryn E. (2008).
121:World Council of Churches
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16:American Episcopal leader
127:Early life and education
212:Russian Orthodox Church
136:Northwestern University
85:Northwestern University
649:American Episcopalians
583:"Wedel, Cynthia Clark"
208:Roman Catholic Church
202:on December 7, 1972.
65:August 24, 1986
36:August 26, 1908
184:United Church Women
144:American University
109:Cynthia Clark Wedel
23:Cynthia Clark Wedel
563:. December 7, 1972
560:The Sacramento Bee
533:The New York Times
359:The New York Times
168:American Red Cross
393:. August 30, 1986
391:Los Angeles Times
268:The Episcopalians
230:Awards and legacy
146:for three years.
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174:Later career
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644:1986 deaths
639:1908 births
633:Categories
249:References
123:in 1975.
113:Episcopal
73:(aged 77)
210:and the
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33:Born
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