Embattled Ecumenism: The National Council of Churches, the Vietnam War, and the Trials of the Protestant Left

7—Sparking Debate and Action, 1967

C h a p t e r S e v e n Sparking Debate and Action, 1967 Swaying Laity Launching a widespread “debate and action” campaign topped Bilheimer’s to-do list. About a hundred church leaders gathered at the Council to brainstorm ways of igniting discussion on Vietnam through all levels of the church. They hoped Christians might help shape “a ‘political will’ within the nation” for a diplomatic solution.1 Harold Row described the meeting as “frustrating and glorious,” clearly “one of the most representative and intense” on Vietnam that he had attended. The NCC offered to provide coordination and cooperation opportunities, but it stressed that denominations and local church councils must each “grab the ball and run with it,” driving local actions. Administering the Council’s effort fell mainly to Gerhard Elston.2 one initial piece of the debate and action program involved using the NCC’s “Appeal to the Churches on Vietnam” as a springboard for local church discussions. The appeal was lengthy—ten pages in pamphlet form—and textbook-like in tone. It was not something an average churchgoer was apt to pick up from an information table and read on their own. Instead of revising it to enhance accessibility and interest, however, the Council simply surrounded it with study aids. The appeal became the centerpiece of a multimedia packet that could be purchased cheaply and used as a ready-made tool to lead study groups on the war. 166 E m b a t t l e d E c u m e n i s m To accompany the appeal, the Council produced a twenty-minute audio recording on a vinyl record album to stimulate group discussions. on one side, Bilheimer’s voice summarized the appeal’s five main points, drawing attention to key aspects for debate. The other side contained suggestions for congregational action. In addition to the album and ten copies of the appeal, each packet included a study guide with questions, a short history on Vietnam, a bibliography, and tips for working with local media. At two dollars each, the denominations purchased so many sets the NCC had to run a second edition of the album.3 “VIETNAM” was emblazoned in red letters across the original jacket cover. In one of Elston’s first acts as Vietnam director, he changed the color to a neutral gold. Surely the Council did not want to reinforce the hawks’ contention that the war was essentially about communism. Flaming red letters symbolically conjoined the two and might have prejudiced discussions. He also fine-tuned the study guide’s history section and sharpened the questions .4 From the beginning, Elston’s value to the IAC was clear. His tasks as Vietnam secretary were threefold: stimulate debate and action efforts in the churches, stay abreast of unfolding events in Vietnam and nurture contacts there, and keep tabs on the entire spectrum of groups active on the war—prowar to antiwar, religious to secular.5 To accomplish the third, he not only placed himself on mailing lists of every Vietnam-related group possible; he also joined their boards and attended their meetings. on the secular front, for example, he kept in touch with Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Mobilization (“Mobe”).6 on the religious front, he joined CALCAV, becoming the Council’s main link to it. Elston took an active role in a new NCC-affiliated group called Staff Associates of Departments of International Affairs (SADIA). It brought the denominations’ international affairs secretaries together for “sharing, joint planning for action, intellectual stimulation, spiritual enrichment, professional growth, and testing of ideas” relative to the church’s witness on international issues.7 Bilheimer created the group in order to help draw denominations with active international affairs programs into a more ecumenical environment under NCC guidance. His motivation reflected his gut feeling that the initial coolness he felt from these secretaries sprang from their lack of ecumenical understanding. The secretaries found the forums useful, especially for discussing independently sponsored, interreligious actions, like CALCAV’s vigils and lobbying sessions. Sparking Debate and Action, 1967 167 The NCC also launched an informal Vietnam strategy group, which united its international affairs staff with that of various Jewish organizations . Rabbi Henry Siegman, executive vice president of the Synagogue Council of America, and Rabbi Balfour Brickner represented the Jewish community. The group eventually enlisted Catholic participation, too.8 Both SADIA...