GERMAN PASTORS.
THE CHOICE BEFORE THEM. OBEDIENCE OR DISMISSAL. (United Press Association —Copyright.) LONDON, May 17. The Berlin correspondent of "The Times’’ says that 10,000 pastors of the Protestant Church must decide before May 31 between dismissal or an oath of loyalty to Herr Hitler and obedience to the laws of the State as prescribed for civil servants. This is involving a grave conflict of conscience and interest among pastors of the Confessional movement, because by taking the oath they would be committed to unreserved obedience to Church authority.
The pastors do not recognise this decree, issued by Dr. Werner, the Stateappointed head of the Evangelical Church, under orders from the Ministry for Church Affairs. The Confessional pastors told Herr Hitler they did not object to taking an oath to a civil authority; but that Church authority was not entitled to demand a political oath. This attitude in 1934 enabled successful resistance to a similar order.
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 194, 18 May 1938, Page 5
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156GERMAN PASTORS. Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 194, 18 May 1938, Page 5
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