Christian Responsibility

The Congregational Christian Churches girded up their loins and prepared to take a hand in U.S. politics. Their Council for Social Action called on the Churches' 4,000 ministers last week to take the church into politics, preach politics from the pulpit.

The Council's educational campaign to update congregations on the relationship of organized religion to the conduct of the State had already begun. Its first step: a booklet, Why Is Political Action a Christian Concern?, which will be sent to all parsons. It is designed as a textbook for preaching on such "Christian issues" as racial relations, labor problems, peace treaties, management, economic questions.

Clergymen will also be asked to revive the old New England custom of "election sermons," plump for candidates who show awareness that political life needs the leaven of Christian teaching to make good political, economic and social conditions.

Said the Rev. Ray Gibbons, the Council's director: "If you regard politics as a Christian responsibility to the State, then we can implement our Gospel with Christianity in action."

Although each Congregational parish is a law unto itself, may completely ignore the Council's plan, the Council expects few parishes to remain above the battle.

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