In this volume Noel Davies provides a history of the Council of Churches for Wales (CCW), which came into existence in 1956 and which then, in 1990, made way for the new ecumenical instruments, which in Wales was Cytun (Churches Together in Wales). He himself was very much part of the story, having been the only full-time General Secretary of CCW from 1977 until, having overseen the transition into Cytun, he moved on.

We have here, however, more than a straightforward account of an organization that lasted for little more than a generation. Ecumenism, properly understood, is a way of being Church in and for the world. So Davies, rightly, sees ecumenical history not simply to be about interchurch relations and the quest for unity, important as that is. He also charts many of the ways by which the CCW and the churches of Wales have been involved in the ongoing life of the Principality and beyond.

Davies starts with the churches themselves and their internal response to the ecumenical imperative. In the immediate post–World War II period, ecumenical hopes rode high. The pioneering work of the interwar years was coming to fruition and seen as a contribution to postwar reconstruction. The World Council of Churches was founded at Amsterdam in 1948, the British Council of Churches in 1944, the Church of South India in 1947. No wonder that a number of Welsh church leaders pushed for the creation of the regional/national body, which emerged in 1956.

The impetus behind such a move was the conviction that Wales had its distinctive historical, linguistic, and cultural existence that should not be subordinate to its dominant English neighbor. Indeed, most Christians in the Principality belonged to denominations that were specific to Wales, though some were in Welsh provinces of British churches. This meant that the search for unity among the churches faced different problems and dynamics from the rest of the United Kingdom. There were indeed several attempts to create a united Church in Wales, especially among Nonconformists (Baptists, Congregationalists, and Presbyterians), who together were the greater part of the Welsh Christian community.

However, the most significant effort, and one which made a practical and theological contribution at the world level, was the Welsh response to the British Faith and Order Conference in Nottingham (1964), where the suggestion was made that the churches move toward unity by taking a preliminary step of making a solemn covenant. This was taken up only in Wales. Four denominations eventually decided to make, in 1975, such a Covenant, namely, the Anglican Church in Wales, the Presbyterian Church of Wales, together with the Welsh provinces of the Methodists and the newly formed United Reformed Church, plus about a dozen English Baptist congregations. The Covenant is still in place, though the effective results have been less than expected (chap. 2).

Davies also traces the growth of local, congregational ecumenism. There is a significant and growing number of joint ventures, usually designated Local Ecumenical Projects (chap. 3). There is also the growing rapprochement with the Roman Catholics as they were feeling their way into the mainstream of ecumenical relationships. This came to full fruition when the Catholics participated fully in the formation of Cytun in 1990 (chap. 4).

The greater proportion of the book, however, turns to the concern for society as a whole. Nationally two issues stand out. The Welsh Assembly was inaugurated by the queen in 1999. This was part of a program of devolution of government from Westminster to the constituent nations of the United Kingdom. For Wales it represented a significant step in the long struggle for the recognition of the bilingual culture and political identity. In this the churches were heavily involved. Indeed, it was the chapels and churches of Wales that had long been the stalwart repository of the language and that had spearheaded the revival of the culture (chap. 6).

Also mixed in with the issue of identity was the deindustrialization of these years. Based on heavy industry, coal, slate, iron, and steel, the economy was forced to contract and to diversify. This created a series of major industrial disputes. Most notable was the miners strike of 1984–85. Led by Industrial Mission, the churches bent every effort to try to broker a reasoned and honorable end to the dispute, and almost succeeded, but were overtaken by other interests (chap. 8). There are also chapters on international issues, namely, racism and apartheid (chap. 9), nuclear weapons (chap. 10), and the Malvinas/Falklands conflict (chap. 11).

Reading this account, not least as one who has in small part been involved, makes one realize how many people have devoted time and energy to the churches and their witness and service. Most of it has been voluntarily given or woven into the fabric of other full-time activities. The result, despite the author's efforts, is a crowded cast and a sense of interlocking events, though one is left with a sense of a rich community.

This is a book that will be read with interest by a broad range of people. First, it is a record of a segment of Welsh history at a particularly interesting time, told from a particular viewpoint. As such it will be valuable to historians, sociologists, and students of culture. Essentially, however, it is a piece of ecclesiastical history. Its importance is that it offers a detailed case study of a particular segment of the mosaic, describing how one nation's churches responded to the challenge of living in the ecumenical century. It is to be commended both for what it does and for the way it is presented.