Alfred Matthew Dickie (1903–1978) was a Presbyterian minister in

Victoria, Australia Victoria is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state with a land area of , the second most populated state (after New South Wales) with a population of over 6.5 million, and the most densely populated state in ...

noted as a peace activist.

History

Dickie was ordained a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

minister around 1933 and served as Moderator of the Melbourne South Presbytery in 1939. He was a co-founder, on 1 July 1949, with the Unitarian Rev. Victor James and Frank J. Hartley (Methodist), dubbed the "peace parsons" of the

Australian Peace Council Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Au ...

, a fore-runner of the

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is an organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuc ...

, and tainted with accusations as Communist fellow-travellers,. Throughout the Cold War years of the 1950s Dickie spoke out against nuclear weapons and urged Christians to work for social equality, ostensibly aims of the Soviet Union. After the disbandment of the APC, of which he was chairman, he held a similar position with the Congress for International Cooperation and Disarmament. Despite his controversial associations, which culminated in vehement opposition to Australia's involvement in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...

, he was elected Moderator of the Victorian church for the year 1965–66 and served as executive officer of the Melbourne Presbytery from 1968 to 1972.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dickie, Alf 1903 births 1978 deaths Activists from Melbourne Australian Christian pacifists Australian Presbyterian ministers