RELIGION BEHIND IRON CURTAIN

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27443, 1 September 1954, Page 12

RELIGION BEHIND IRON CURTAIN

German Bishop On Church’s Role

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) (Re< (Illinois), August 30. Bishop Otto Dibelius, one of the foremost leaders of ,G$ r *” an testantism, said today that the church could no longer be satisfied to Present the wora of God and leave it up to men to see how they can ever apply it to their lives.” Bishop Dibelius, who was addressing a plenary session of the second assembly of the World Council of Churches, is Bishop of the Evangelical Union Church of Berlin -Brandenburg. Three-quarters of his jurisdiction lies in East Germany. ■ „ He said there was quiet martyrdom in all churches which lived under a totalitarian regeme. “But those people who have the strength for this quiet martyrdom are those who preserve the independence of the church, he totalitarian State is really totalitarian only when the church, as a church, no longer exists withm its ° r ßishop Dilfelius said that sometimes it was easy to decide what to do when the State demanded something contrary to Christian principles. This was especially so when the State used the schools to teach -hatred, of other races or opposition to religion and the Christian faith. “There is no need for deliberation here,” he affirmed. “The only need » decisive strength and bravery m faith. On the other hand, the proper course on other types of State action was difficult to determine, he said. As an example, he selected the “elaborately planned propaganda programme for peace.” He said that in tne totalitarian State the church was expected to* join in the peace crusade, and asked: “Should the church do this? . “Although the church desires peace and not war, and should more ardently desire and more fervently pray and hope that peace be preserved, the church cannot join the State in promoting a political campaign for peace, Bishop Dibelius said.