Dr. Mclntire's Magic Touch

After four decades as archfoe of liberal Protestantism, the Rev. Carl McIntire, 63, has proved that he has a rare gift: everything he touches turns to schism. Contention has dogged him since his seminary days, when he joined a fundamentalist rebellion against liberalizing trends within the Presbyterian Church. Later, he split with fellow rebels to form his own sect, the Bible Presbyterian Church--and then his own church split yet again. Defections have periodically shaken the ranks of his American Council of Christian Churches (A.C.C.C.) and more recently his International Council of Christian Churches (I.C.C.C.), organizations that Mclntire formed in 1941 and 1948, respectively, to oppose the National and World Councils of Churches.

The attrition is growing. Late last month, at its annual convention in Columbus, Ohio, the A.C.C.C. went so far as to repudiate its founder. Mclntire was pointedly not returned to the council's executive committee, on which he has sat for 28 years. The convention also passed a resolution criticizing him for his cavalier transfer of an A.C.C.C. relief fund to the l.C.C.C.--and then spending some 54% of nearly half a million dollars for "administrative expenses" over eight years.

Imperious Ways. Most A.C.C.C. members still profess a fundamentalism that might best be characterized as responsible extremism. But many who agree with Mclntire theologically have become increasingly edgy about his political pronouncements, especially his support of civil rights opponents like Georgia Governor Lester Maddox. Nor do Mclntire's internal political methods endear him to colleagues. A.C.C.C. General Secretary John Millheim notes that his motto seems to be "Let us reason together and do it my way." As for the I.C.C.C., Mclntire's political attitudes and imperious ways have proved so embarrassing to missions that an estimated 1,900 of some 2,000 missionary members have withdrawn from the organization. Yet another Mclntire enterprise, Shelton College in Cape May, N.J., is undergoing a state challenge to its accreditation.

Mclntire is not giving up by any manner of means. More than 600 radio stations carry his weekday "20th century Reformation" broadcasts. He says that he is forming a rival right-wing group to the A.C.C.C. that he will call the American Christian Action Council. And he controls the small (an estimated 8,000 members) Bible Presbyterian Church--at least for the time being. Last month, at the church's synodal convention, 40% of the delegates voted for a rival candidate to replace Founder Mclntire as moderator.

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