RELIGION IN GERMANY.

Evening Star, Issue 22687, 29 June 1937, Page 8

RELIGION IN GERMANY.

Nazism' in Germany is clear-cut in its policy in (religious as in political matters. Its efforts are being persistently directed to the subordination of tlmchurches to the Nazi idealogy. Beginning with the suppression of the Jews, it moved on to disciplinary measures against the Protestant and Homan Catholic Churches. Both of these sections of the Christian church have defended their claims- to liberty in the matter of religious convictions. To this action Nazism gays “ No.” It demands for the totalitarian State social, economic, intellectual, moral, and spiritual supremacy. The Bavarian Minister of Education declares that the only organised force disturbing German unity is the churches. Bavaria is very largely a Catholic State, and the church has been receiving substantial aid from the Government. To mark the displeasure of Nazism at the refusal to bow to the dictates of the ruling power, its revenues are to bo heavily reduced. This is taken to mean the initiation of a system of financial reprisals against the churches throughout Germany. In 1933 a Concordat was entered into between Nazi Germany and the Holy See. This pact recognised the right of Catholics, in ecclesiastical affairs, to unhampered organisation, to contacts with tho Papacy at Home, to schools, and to other .activities; it banned church participation in politics. The concessions here suggested were considered as reasonable as could be expected in the circumstances. It is asserted, however, that tho Concordat has not been observed in the true spirit. Publishing enterprises, youth organisations, Labour and social groups, and, most vital of all, schools have been seriously interfered with by the Government. The developments caused Pope Pius to issue in March'a notable encyclical. It was read in the Catholic Churches in Berlin on Palin .Sunday. The Nazis were accused of violating tho Concordat and of encouraging the anti-Christian movement. His Holiness refrained from denouncing the Concordat in the hope of obtaining a relaxation of Nazi repression measures, hut remarked that “ if peace is not to be, the church of God

will defend its right and liberties.” In the face of the attack on the very foundations of the Christian religion it is natural that Protestants and Catholics should have combined in some measure to defend their principles. As an example, a system of liaison officers has been evolved between tho Catholic hierarchy and tho Protestant synods for the exchange of information. Hanns Kerri, a Reich (Nazi) church minister, recently remarked that both a Protestant and a Catholic dignitary had tried to tell him that Christianity, meant tho faith to teach that Christ is tho Son of God. “ That made me laugh,” he said. “ National Socialism consists of doing the will of God. The will of God is revealed in German blood. This will of God is the nation. It is tho business of the church to support the State so that tho will of God may he fulfilled.” Thus it is revealed that the Nazis regard a system of political philosophy as a force leading to salvation. A Nazi leader declared recently that over two million officials of the party had taken charge of the German people to train them in tho way they should go, paying particular attention to the youth of tho country. A message was lately sent to the churches of the world by Professor Karl Barth, who was dismissed from his office as professor of evangelical theory at the University of Bonn because of his opposition to the Nazi regime. He pointed out that it is not merely a question of freedom in the church, but a fight against a new religion—a religion represented by the State and directed by persons like Hitler, Goebbels, and Gocring. .It is clear that the conflict is between the forces of organised religion and a religion that is based in large part on the tenets of the pagan gods. The struggles for individual frcedopi are age-long. This freedom enshrines a great ideal which is now in grave danger through the apotheosis of the totalitarian State in Germany, and elsewhere.