Church Leader Calls Communism “Christian Heresy”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22729, 30 August 1948, Page 5

Church Leader Calls Communism “Christian Heresy”

m a.m.) THE HAGUE, Aug. 29. Dr. Kheinhold Neibuhr, United States defining Christianity’s attitude towards communism at the World Council of Churches declared that Christians could not afford to take a negative attitude because the Communist revolt expressed the discontent of vast masses of insecure people. Dr. Neibuhr suggested that the council should legard communism as both better and worse than fascism on the basis that communism was Christian heresy and fascism and nazism were anti Christian paganism.

“Communism inevitably results in a dilemma because it believes that the abolition of property will automatically solve society’s problems,” he said. Professor Kenneth T Li. Manchuria, said he did not believe the young people of China and India were sympathetic towards communism because they liked it but because they felt their own Governments were corrupt so they ran the risk of turning Left to save their country.

Dr. J. Hutchison Cockburn, director of the World Council of Churches’ department of reconstruction, appealed to the council to start a long-term plan to check the inroads of the State upon human rights. Which, if anti-Christian are the most dangerous colossus of the day and will reduce mankind to servile obedience and rob him of all rights and privileges.”