Magyar Egyház, 1971 (50. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1971-04-01 / 4. szám
14 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ his universe and its galaxies and then from all of these, his Creator. He has been invested by God with an intellect and it is his duty to use it. Thus man experiences one of his finest hours when, in his quest for knowledge, he reaches for the moon and the other planets in our firmament. When you consider how much we have learned about science in the last decade, you realize not only how little man has known of his universe but also how much more there is to know. Man, in these explorations, certainly is learning more of the almost infinite order of the universe and thus makes more implausible the contention that we and our world are all the result of some prehistoric accidental explosion that triggered existence. In this way, science is taking man on to a blend, not to a clash, with religion. Even in the controversial realm of evolution there is no conflict between true science and true religion. Let the scientist discover the hard evidence of the origin of man. But let his conclusions be confined to the framework of science. At the same time let the theologian pursue his search for God and the nature of man. But let his conclusions bear on theological foundations. The difficulty arises when the scientists invade the realm of theologians or when the theologian talks as if he is a scientist. Thence the conflict. Scientists should not tell us about the nature of a soul. Nor should a theologian comment on the validity of australopithecus. Moreover, if we explore into the recesses of the universe and its wondrous forces, we may find solutions to our temporal ills such as war and starvation. Perhaps if we search and test, inexorably, in outer space and into the hidden area of the nuclear world, it is possible that we may discover a formula that will vitiate all the awesome power of modern day weapons that threaten to destroy us. But Wemlier von Braun said it well when he said science tries to understand Creation better while religion is the attempt to understand the Creator better. LIGHT AFTER DARKNESS Dark was the night when Jesus suffered, Dark was the night when Jesus died; Dark was the night when sin was canceled By our Saviour crucified. Bright was the dawn that Easter morning, Bright was the path the Saviour trod; Bright was the everlasting glory Of the conquering Son of God. THE SECOND HELVETIC CONFESSION SECTION XXX. Civil government. 1. How do we regard all civil governments? We regard all civil governments as instituted by God for the sake of tranquility and peace of the people. The civil government takes the first place in the world. 2. How could the civil government relate to the church? It could be an enemy of the church and as such it could cause many hardships for the church. But if it is its friend or member, it could be very helpful and beneficial for the church. 3. 1Vhat are the duties of the civil government? a. to preserve the public peace and tranquility, b. to proclaim the truth and to promote the true faith and to eradicate all falsehood, superstition and idolatry, c. to govern the people, to keep them in discipline and obedience with laws according to the Word of God, d. to mete out justice equally to every one, to defend the widows, orphans and the oppressed, to punish all transgressors, d. to execute those criminals whom God commanded to execute in the Bible, for this is the reason the civil government “bears the sword.” Rom. 13. e. to suppress all those who do not cease to blaspheme the most holy God, and to disturb and destroy the church with their false teachings and evil actions, f. to wage war if there is no other way to defend and keep its people. 4. Why do we not agree with the Anabaptists? We don’t agree with them because they teach that a Christian man should not hold a public office, and that the government has no right to execute a criminal, and that it cannot wage a war. They also teach that we should not take an oath at the request of the civil government. 5. What are our duties toward the civil government? Since God ordered the civil government to be a benefactor of the people, therefore we should see
