WAR AND PEACE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23002, 23 April 1940, Page 8

WAR AND PEACE

There can be no question that this war is for all of us a very special war, and that it has a quite other aspect than that of 1914 and most of the wars of recent centuries. The National-Socialism of Hitler, after making Germany the peculiar scene of its terror, became in growing measure a menace to the whole of Europe. This menace has led to an awakening. Amid the sin and shame of the life of all peoples there is also, through the goodness of God, a remnant of order and justice, of free humanity, and, above all, as that which gives the meaning to all the rest, of freedom to proclaim the Gospel. Where Hitler rules there is an end even to this remnant. Hitler did not want, however, to rule in Germany alone. When that became so clear that even the blind could see it, war was inevitable. “There must be an, end to it,” your Minister-President said in a decisive hour, and his English colleague repeated the same thing. The responsibility can safely be left to these statesmen how deep the meaning of their decision goes. It is certain that every Christian, and just because he is a Christian, who in recent years has experienced what has been happening with open eyes and ears, must for his part say yes and amen to this: “There must be an end to it.” Imperialism and the War Certainly France and England had, and have, also Imperialistic reasons for this war. That does not, however, in the least alter the fact that there would be no excuse before God and man if the attempt were not made to put an end to this menace of Hitlerism. War was the sole means which was left for this purpose. The Church of Jesus Christ cannot and will not make-war. It can and will only pray, believe, hope, love, proclaim and hear the Gospel. It knows that the event which brings real, eternal, and divine help to us poor men has happened, is happening, and will happen, not by might or power or any human effort and achievement, but by the Spirit of God. It will therefore not identify the cause of Britain and France with the cause of God, and will not preach a crusade against Hitler. He Who died on the Cross died for Hitler, too, and for all the confused people who are willingly or unwillingly standing under his flag. But just because the Church knows that there is a “justification” which we men cannot achieve for ourselves, it cannot be indifferent or neutral in great things and in small where the question of justice is raised, and the attempt to erect some poor measure of human justice over against overflowing and crying injustice. Where that is at stake the Church cannot refuse to bear its witness to the truth that it is God’s commandment that justice shall be done on earth, that this is the very purpose for which God has set up political authorities and given them the sword, and that when political authorities seek to protect justice, in spite of all the mistakes of which they may otherwise be guilty, they legitimate themselves as true authorities by doing so, and may lay claim to the obedience of everyone. Resistance a Necessity The Churches must with repentance and sobriety pray for a just peace, and with the same repentance and sobriety tell every people that it is necessary and worthwhile to fight and to suffer for this just peace. They must certainly not persuade the people of the democratic States that they are fighting for the cause of God; they must, however, say to them that we have in God’s name a right to be human, and must defend ourselves with the strength of desperation against the, invasion of open inhumanity. The Church will have to say many comforting things in all countries in the dark times upon which, to all appearances, we are now entering. It will, however, be able to give real comfort only if, without hate or Pharisaism or any illusions about the goodness of any men anywhere,

The Duty of the Churches WAR A NECESSARY MEANS [By KARL BARTH.] Karl Barth, perhaps the greatest religious thinker and teacher of this generation, lived and taught for many years in Germany. He was forced to leave because of his criticism of the Nazi treatment of the Church. The following article is condensed from a letter he wrote to a French.journal.

it is ready to say seriously and frankly that to-day resistance is a necessity. The Church of Jesus Christ will then also know and say this other thing just as clearly: that the last thing in war—and especially in this war—cannot be war itself, and that war, like a painful but purposeful operation, can only be carried out for the sake of help and healing and life. The time may come very soon when it will be urgently necessary in all countries to bring this'side of the matter to the front. Germany’s Political Confusion Dear French friends, you know how much I am bound up with Germany, its Church and its people; and you will not take it amiss if I ask you to occupy your selves and your congregations even now with the question of what is to happen when the misfortune into which Germany has thrown itself will come to light in its defeat, which, according to human calculation, can hardly be avoided. The German people is not a bad people, no worse certainly than all other peoples, and the idea that it must be punished as specially wicked to-day is both, from a Christian and from a human point of view, untenable. But National-Socialism of Hitler is a peculiarly evil expression of the unusual political stupidity, confusion and helplessness of the German people. The German, people is suffering from the heritage. of a profound and consequently' especially wild, foolish, unrealistic heathenism. Hitler a Bad Dream All nations have their bad dreams. Hitlerism is at present the bad dream of German pagans, whose Christiansation in a Lutheran form conserved j md strengthened certain elements in J ;heir paganism. It is, a specially bad iream, a specially deadly one for the Hermans themselves and all the rest of us. Apart from the pain which t is causing to the dreamers themiclves, it has made them into a threat 0 Eqrope. Now it must first of all be made i oarmless. Those who now have it • is their enemy, and those who may I oecome its enemy, must, however, ! f they themselves' wish to think in a Christian and not in a heathen way, reep steadily in view the fact that n this enemy they have to do with 1 sick man. Very firm but very nerciful hands will be necessary, t will indeed be necessary to make urther developments along the fatal ine from Frederick the Great via Bismarck to Hitler a physical imoossibility. It will, however, be still nore necessary to make visible to he German nation something of the iolitical wisdom which is still so itrange to it now. This means that here must be provided for it such :onditions of life as must hinder it rom continuing to dream that bad Iream in any new form. Its delusion hat it can only help itself by terror n relation to others must be taken s iway from it by a demonstration by hose others that they are in all cir:umstances determined to be just to ts real needs which arise from its [eographical situation. The coming )eace may have to be politically and nilitarily harder than the Versailles freaty. If, however, everything it lot again to be in vain, it will have o be wiser and juster—Le-, above ill, more solicitous. Giving Hitler a Chance It was dangerous that people vanted so long to give Hitler a :hance. It would, however, be much nore dangerous if people were, not •eady after the war to give the Gernan nation an honest chance. But it would be very un-Christian, iear friends, and therefore ’ rery unwise, if we were to put forward all these considerations without at the end acknowledging frankly that man :hinks—and man ought to think—put God alone directs. We can and mght to assume and sustain our responsibilities—our political and, vhere it is demanded, also our military responsibilities. It does not, lowever, lie in our hand to deternine what will come out of it all. we must in no case be surprised pr complain if everything should turn out contrary to our ■ present lope and intention, our plan and vill.