Hungarian Church Press, 1968 (20. évfolyam, 2. szám)

1968-06-01 / 2. szám

HOP Vol XX Special Number

1968 No 2- 7S

(07777)

feited its future also. The prophetic message, however, has since shown the way of faith in which our church has not only found its own true self but has actually become the dispenser of blessings in the wide areas of international church life0 It has been prophetic preaching that has shsped the future of the church and the new faoe of the church of the future. Thus the church has been enabledto seek with complete self-dedication not only its own future but also the future of the peoples of the world«

6) On the Christian-Marxist Dialogue

a) The Various Forms of the Dialogue

The practical cooperation of Christians and Marxists has its historical antecedents and traditions in nearly all the European countries where resistance to fascism brought about the integration of wide strata of sooiety. With hands joined, working and fighting together, we saw Marxists as well as Christians in the ranks of the Resistance,

The intensified dialogue of our days reflects a practical attitude and the growing and widely held conviction that, in the context cf ideological pluralism, the antagonistic values are to be united in actions and practical cooperation, in individual societies and in international life, for the accomplishment of great human objectives and tasks,

It was, however, in the period following the scaling down of the Cold War that the energetic demand for the dialogue was first voiced, as a ooncomitant feature - both as a political reality and as a requirement - of the co-existence. More and more people are accepting the thesis that the future of mankind is just as unthinkable without the communists as it is without the Christians - as this thesis was formula.ted by Roger Garnudy who then went on to draw fron this the consequence that the Marxist-Christian dialogue is an "objective necessity",63) Machoyeo maintains the same opinion; "Division in our world is extremely dangerous, hence..the dialogue is a matter of life or death",64) On the side of Christians, the report of the Jg^ggsitle Conference on World and Society makes the statement: "A direct dialogue/between Christians and advocates of non-Chiistian social ideologies* Specifically we urge that the World Council of Churches seek to initiate an informal dialogue with Marxists, on an international basis, in each region of the world. We believe this will increase the possibilities cf cooperation between Christians and non-Christians, irrespective of their ideologies, for the furtherance of peace and progress for all mankind",65)

It is in this social and political context that we may properly assess and appreciate the necessity of the dialogue which is demanded in all areas of public life in the whole world, J, Moltmarn> too, speaks cf "the Age cf the Dialogue",66)