Foreign Issues Occupy NCCC Meet

Episcopal News Service. May 15, 1980 [80179]

The Rev. Edward M. Berckman

Indianapolis -- International issues dominated the agenda of the National Council of Churches Governing Board meeting here May 7-9, but a proposed resolution to comment on the U.S.-Iran crisis was amended to merely request the exploring of new initiatives for the churches.

The Board completed the first reading of a new policy statement on the Middle East and heard a report from a panel of Council leaders who recently toured that region. It affirmed disarmament as a high priority for the Council, urged the U.S. Senate more rapidly to ratify the International Human Rights Covenants, and asked the U.S. government not to send military assistance to Guatemala and El Salvador.

The 266-member board, representing 32 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican communions, meets semi-annually to set policy for the Council. The Episcopal Church is represented by 16 persons, including the Rt. Rev. John M. Allin, Presiding Bishop; the Rev. William A. Norgren of the Ecumenical Office; the Rev. William L. Weiler, Washington Affairs Officer; and Miss Sonia Francis, Broadcast Officer and a Vice President of the National Council as chairman of the Communications Commission.

Extended debate over eight amendments to the Iran resolution centered on the question of whether the American role in establishing and supporting the regime of the deposed Shah would be described ("deplored, " "condemned") as a wrong parallel to that of the holding of the American hostages. Discussion ended abruptly when a proposal to delete all but a final paragraph passed by a two-vote margin, supported by most of the Episcopal delegation.

Council President, the Rev. M. William Howard, Jr., who with two other American clergymen had visited the hostages in Teheran last Christmas, said after the meeting, "We have chosen an educational rather than a judging role." He attributed the Board's decision to recognition that it lacks clear information about events in Iran.

The new Middle East policy statement, to be voted on at the Board's next meeting in November, focuses on the religious situation of the region as well as political conflicts. It would replace a policy statement approved in 1969.

Representing the Episcopal delegation, Father Norgren suggested the need for a major addition to emphasize the common heritage of Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the whole Biblical story, "to lay the groundwork for the interfaith study dialogue the document calls for."

He described the statement as "unnecessarily hortatory and in need of abbreviation, in the interest of effective communication" but praised it for the attention it gives to the religious context.

Father Weiler, who until recently was director of the Council office on Christian-Jewish relations, said he felt "very positive" toward this document. Compared to the 1969 policy statement, it present "a much deeper assessment of a complex situation and a more balanced approach, " he said.

Among the document's affirmations it terms "essential to a resolution of the Palestine-Israel conflict and the related Arab-Israel conflicts" are:

a)Cessation of all acts of violence by all parties;
b)Recognition by the Arab states and by the Palestinian Arabs of Israel as a Jewish state with secure, defined and recognized borders;
c)Recognition by Israel of the right of national self-determination for the Palestinian Arabs and of their right to select their own representatives and to establish a Palestinian entity, including a sovereign state... "

The Middle East panel, which held open hearings after its visit to five countries of the Middle East, was more specific in some of its recommendations.

It urged the U.S. to find a way to make reciprocal gestures of conciliation possible between the nation of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. And it called for Israel to announce that it will establish no more settlements on the West Bank or Gaza Strip.

The panel also expressed "deep concern for the diminution of the Christian community of the Middle East, " as Christians "emigrate elsewhere because of political turmoil in the region. "

James Rudin of the American Jewish Committee read a statement terming "regrettable" the recommendation "that the U. S. Government engage in open dialogue with the PLO and immediately press for Palestinian self-determination, without pre-conditions and without its renouncing terrorism."

Rudin's statement commended other sections of the panel's report, particularly its "declaration that Arab unwillingness to recognize the Jewish state has been a major obstacle to peace in the Middle East. "

In its resolution on El Salvador, the Board asked churches to respond to the suffering of Salvadoran people with emergency help and medical supplies and to support the posthumous nomination of Archbishop Oscar Romero for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Board called for a fact-finding team of religious leaders to investigate human rights violations in Guatemala. The Episcopal delegation opposed this recommendation as unnecessary.

After the Guatemala resolution passed, Episcopal layman George McGonigle, of Houston, said, "I find it troublesome that we've had many resolutions about American foreign policy but no chance to hear representatives of our government explain their policies. We would be more responsible if we could hear their reasons."

Another action urged speedy passage of two Congressional bills to establish a Presidential Study Commission that would investigate the extent of injustices suffered by 120,000 Japanese-Americans who were interned during World War II, and then recommend appropriate remedies.

The Rev. Winston Ching, Asian Ministries Officer for the Episcopal Church, said, "Our Japanese-American congregations want to see an admission that grave injustice was done. They are concerned that other minorities not incur similar reprisals in the future."

During a respite from legislative sessions, the Board celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Sunday School movement with a banquet and program at which Dr. Robert Lynn, co-author with Elliott Wright of a book on the movement, The Big Little School, was the main speaker.

In other actions, the Board:

  • Called for immediate congressional action to save the food stamp program (action which the House of Representatives initiated the next day).
  • Sent a message of condolence, presented by the Episcopal delegation, to the Rt. Rev. H. B. Dehqani-Tafti, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Iran, upon learning of the murder of Bahram Dehqani-Tafti, the bishop's son.
  • Affirmed the NCC as a sponsor of an interreligious program on Religion and Energy in the '80s, to be initiated by a Responsible Energy Sabbath October 18-19, 1980.
  • Urged its member communions and their individual members to communicate to, and urge ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment by, the Illinois State Legislature in its current session.
  • Asked Congress to maintain existing levels of budget support in the areas of housing, education, welfare, social security and employment.
  • Sent to the people of Taiwan a message of support for Dr. Chun Ming Kao, general secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, who was arrested April 24th as part of an apparent campaign of harassment against the church.
  • Requested appropriate units of the Council to prepare a draft policy statement on the spiritual care of, and free exercise of religion by, persons resident in public institutions.
  • Paid tribute to Helen Keller, in this centennial year of her birth, as "a shining example of the power and the beauty of a profound Christianity."
  • Sent a message to the Rt. Rev. Desmond Tutu, Anglican Bishop in South Africa, whose passport has been revoked by the South African government, expressing its solidarity with him in his struggle against apartheid.
  • Expressed its appreciation of the achievements of Islam and its respect for the faith of Muslims in this 1400th year of the Islamic era.
[thumbnail: Sonia Francis, Episcopal...]