Magyar Egyház, 1970 (49. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1970-10-01 / 10. szám
16 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ Dr. William P. Thompson President World Alliance Reformed Churches Rev. Edmund Perrel General Secretary World Alliance Reformed Churches MESSAGE TO MEMBER CHURCHES This message is addressed to the local congregations whose representatives we have had the privilege of being in this uniting Assembly of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the International Congregational Council. The full report of our proceedings will soon make available to you the substance of our work, and we especially commend to you the Section Reports which we hope will receive your careful study. In the meantime, we send this message touching the central theme of our gathering; namely “God Reconciles and Makes Free”. Our message to you is that “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not counting against men their transgressions, and has given us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Cod. 5:19). Thanks be to God for the reality of the new fellowship he has created between himself and his creation and among men, freeing his people joyfully to share in the extension of this reality in every age and culture. It is in this context that we give thanks to God for uniting us, Presbyterians and Congregationalists, in this new strengthening of the Reformed heritage. We pray that God will not let us rest at ease with our common identity but will use us, as we hope he will use other world confessional bodies, not to retard but to hasten the wider unity which he wills among all Christians. The reconciliation which is of God is not human togetherness based on appeasement, sentimentality, or clever manipulation of other people until they conform to our favorite programs. Reconciliation is the renewal of life based on God’s Word of judgement and forgiveness. It is the costly and joyous process of change, of personal and social conversion, in which God liberates us and enables us to move forward as hopeful people confident in his promises to make us fit instruments of his will. God does not restrict his reconciliation to his Church, yet those who by faith take to heart his promises are equipped with an awesome freedom. In this freedom we begin to distinguish between the false messiahs and the risen Christ who is bringing to maturity a new humanity through the worldly work of his Word and Spirit. Meeting in Africa has, in refreshing and disturbing ways, deepened our realization of the turbulent glory of God’s reconciling and liberating ways with men. The spontaneity and rejoicing, so vividly brought home to us as we worshipped together at the historic Church of the Torch at Kikuyu, and the excitement at being involved in God’s work have made us realize the extent to which many of us have grown morbidly accustomed to taking our sins more seriously than the transforming power of the risen Christ. WORLD NEWS: U.S.A.: Results of National Security Poll The results of a National Security Issues Poll taken by the American Security Council are in. 1) Is the ABM defensive missile necessary for U.S. defense? About 85 percent agree that it is. 2) Should the U.S. maintain more military strength than the U.S.S.R. and Red China? Over 87 percent agreed that we should. 3) Should Communists and other revolutionaries be permitted to teach in tax-supported schools? Only 5 percent agreed they should. 4) Should Communists and other revolutionaries be permitted to hold sensitive positions in defense facilities? Only 2 percent agreed that they should. 5) Should the U.S. have a national objective of victory in the cold war? More than 95 percent agreed that we should. 6) Does the U.S. need a Freedom Academy for training leaders for non-military conflict? Two-thirds agreed that we do. 7) Should the U.S. help the people of Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Cuba and other captive nations in their struggle for freedom? Two-thirds agreed that we should. 8) Should the U.S. have a national objective of victory in Vietnam? More than 80 percent agreed that we should. 9) Should the U.S. give economic aid to Communist or pro-Communist governments? Only 5 percent agreed that we should. U.S.S.R.: “Opium of the People” The Soviet anti-religious periodical Nauka i Religiya (Science and Religion) of February, 1970, presents a review of a book “Social Principles of Communism and Religion,” (by V. D. Timofeyev, Moscow, 1969-205 p.) analyzing the origins and development of Christian Socialism. The author discusses at length the various modern Christian movements. He concludes that notwithstanding progressive elements contained in Christian leftist parties, their thesis that Marxism and Christianity are compatible cannot be accepted by Communists. Both systems have diametrically opposite views of man’s destiny. Nevertheless, according to the author, Communist atheistic propaganda must devote a particular effort to help those Christian leftists who have broken away from bourgeois sociopolitico-economic views, but have kept their religious faith. Their progress must be accelerated and made less painful through careful indoctrination taking into account individual experiences. The author refutes the idea according to which under Socialism, political contradictions between Marxism and religion are swept away by the modern revolutionary stream. He stresses that Marxism remains an irreconcilable adversary of Christianity. Even under Socialism, Marxists still consider religion to be the “opium of the people.” Christian Socialist ideology is totally incompatible with scientific Communism. It is absolutely necessary to continue the war against religion, but opposition between Communists and believers on a political plane should be avoided. War against religion is a problem best solved precisely by having the believers take part in the struggle for Communism.
