Hungarian Church Press, 1968 (20. évfolyam, 2. szám)
1968-06-01 / 2. szám
HCP Vol XX Special Number — 94- - (07798) 1968 No 2 adult is "but a child of God, and the young people coming of age can only find their proper place if they take their hearings in relation to their status as children of God# But this holds true also of the fathers; the adults are no rulers over the younger generation; they are hut servants, the only Lord being Jesus Christ who is the King of kings,, Attention and obedience to the revealed Word are to. ensure the right ministry of the Church concerning the problem of the relation between the successive gene— rations*, A * The -second observation is that the Church is to place the emphasis on t he law .of love» Without mutual love, the tension between the genera — tions cannot be released and the conflicts cannot be resolved* Both the Parable of the Prodigal Son and the tragedy of Absalom speak of the destructive power of love turned into lovelessness separating the generations,and, in both cases, forgiving and understanding love is praised as the power which brings release» The more revolutionary are the forms in which the conflict is manifested the greater is the need for love that forgives, not once but "until seventy times seven"e It is this love that is commended both .to parents and children in the apostolic epistles» Our next note is that the generation problem is not a querticn of salvation but a problem cf the humánum» ' Hence there is a great need for common sense, the insights of sober reason« Yet reason must be enriched byliving faith» The use cf reason is not to degenerate into rationalism, a principle opposed to God*s revelation« We speak cf reasonableness that is in accord with the Word of God, of an understanding that is coupled with sympathy. Reason,und er the inspirat ion cf love » initiates a dialogue» Since our age has arrived at the threshold cf the dialogue of ideologies, the generations, too, should be engaged in a dialogue with one another» The sons'are to consider the ripe wisdom of thje fathers lest they make inconsiderate steps« The fathers should became familiar with the world’ cf the young people« The generations are mutually obliged to one another* The meaning of the dialogue is not to converse about each other car to conduct simultaneous monologues but to speak with each other® And at last, the question of .responsibility is also of a decisive significance» The younger generation, willy-nilly, takes over many things from the older generation« This heritage of tradition is to be sifted but must be appreciated. It is very important what is transmitted from the past to the present and to the future and it is also important to vhom this heritage is handed over6 At the tire of the change of guards, the service cf the old guards is to be appreciated, and love should be accorded to. the new guards taking their posts. This responsibility is today in fact responsibility for the whole human race, an all-embracing resporkeibility which was yet not known neither practised by the older generation«
