Hungarian Church Press, 1968 (20. évfolyam, 2. szám)
1968-06-01 / 2. szám
HOP Vol XX Special Number 1968 No 2- 122 ~ (07913) Oust reckon with the reluctance of many Christians who raise serious and urgent questions at this point* The Christian Peace Conference, too, from the beginning, has reckoned with the misgivings of Christians and churchesi how can Christians and churches cooperate with men professing other ideologies, even with atheists, without betting their Christian faith and the Biblical message of salvation? But the Christian Peace Conference has pointed out that, in the way of working for peaceful coexistence, this is not the only and main problem cf the churches# The main problem is whether or not they regard and accept God’s reconciling grace with the implied obligation to serve for the world, for humanity. As much as we approve the warning in the report of Section III of the World Conference on Church and Society againi the absolutizing of ideologies and historical situations, we demand equally emphatic statements to the effect that, in seeking the opportunities of unselfish Christian service, without any ulterior motives, and the ways and means of cooperating with those professing ideologies opposed to ours, the Christian churches can only be guided, controlled and disciplined by God's love to men revealed in Jesus Christ# If the churches prove obedient in this, then they may have the experience - so to speak as a gift from God - that, in pursuing humane objectives, they get into an "action proximity" with those who profess ideologies and political convictions opposed to theirs* This is nothing to be afraid of if they really believe that they are in the hand of their Lord whose obedient instruments they try bo be# The question of peaceful coexistence has been for years on the agenda of the discussions and negotiations of responsible statesmen and international organizations* New viewpoints/ire suggested and propositions are made# These are to be very carefully considered by the Christian churches that are to analyze and appraise all these proposals on the basis cf sober reality and always adept those which envisage and further better solutions# We are glad to discover this endeavour in the report of Section III of the World Conference on Church and Society# Por the commission did not construe a special Christian theory of coexistence, neither did it propose a special Christian approach but expressed the wish to seek and further the solution of the existing problems in terms of the existing institutions and organizations which are at our disposal in the structure of today's society. h) Dialogue and Cooperation In our opinion, the ecumenical community of the churches, too,must devote special attention in the near future to the Declaration issued by the Karlovy Vary conference of the European communist and labour parties in the spring of 1967# Christians (Roman Catholics, Protestants and religious believers of various persuasions) are also called on in this document to join in a common action for European peace and security and, indirectly, for the
