Capsule Report: General Board, NCC, Atlanta, GA, Sept. 14-15, 1967
Diocesan Press Service. October 5, 1967 [58-6]
Vigorous action to respond to the "Crisis within the Nation" of which the riots are a major symptom was taken by the General Board of the National Council of Churches at its meeting in Atlanta, Ga., September 14-15, 1967.
Viewing the crisis as "a gift of God, given in the form of judgment," the Board adopted a plan of action strongly emphasizing participation by the poor in a thorough- going reconstruction of American Society. A feature of the plan was the commitment of 10% of the NCC's unrestricted capital funds to high-risk, low-return investment in ghetto areas. Member Churches were urged to do likewise and to help provide job opportunities.
In another resolution Council staff was authorized to respond to the request of the Greater Milwaukee Council of Churches for help in promoting an open housing ordinance. Yet another resolution called on Congress to block passage of punitive amendments to presiding welfare legislation.
The National Faith and Order Colloquium was endorsed especially as an instrument of dialogue with conservative evangelical churches.
A policy statement was adopted favoring regulation of access to firearms in terms generally similar to the federal administration proposal
A resolution on Vietnam urged the United States and South Vietnam to de-escalate to a defense of territory presently held, to stop the bombing of North Vietnam, and simultaneously to request the United Nations to take up the question of securing a peaceful settlement. The vote was 111 in favor, 14 opposed, 4 abstaining. Episcopalians voted 4 in favor, 7 against.
A report on the Revised Standard Version, now 15 years old, called attention to its increasing use by Roman Catholics.
Peter Day,
Ecumenical Officer