Magyar Egyház, 1958 (37. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1958-02-01 / 2. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 11 PROTESTANTISM ON THE MARCH Rev. Charles A. Darocy We are living in the greatest age of Protestant expansion since the days of the Reformation. The American scene is undergoing great changes since the Protestant churches have finally discovered their role in modern life. The revival of interest is not, however, limited to our own great nation. It is worldwide, and embraces all peoples. Wherever the Gospel is preached, great things begin to happen. Protestantism is on the march in our own country. A generation of indifference is being pushed aside by a new wave of enthusiasm. The Roman Catholic Church, once feared and carefully avoided, is now faced with confidence. The freedom of the individual believer is more than a match for the papal rule of fear. So the true Protestant witness is not one of mere opposition to Roman claims, it is rather reliance on the power of the Gospel of freedom and forgiveness. Our strategy toward the Roman Catholics should therefore be based on an appeal to the individual member of that faith. Just as the Knights of Columbus extravagantly advertise their claims, we should boldly proclaim the Truth of Christ as revealed in Holy Scripture. The American inheritance of freedom is of far greater influence in the lives of our “Catholic” friends than most of us realize. And the power of God cannot be limited by any system, no matter how despotic it be. Protestantism is on the march in Latin America. There the brave missionaries have worked for generations, and their work is now bearing fruit. In Brazil alone there are over two and a half million Protestants. Not just a few million people who believe differently than the rest, but men and women who live according to the Gospel and bear witness to Christ in all they do. No wonder the entire picture of Latin American life will change for the better. Instead of bloody revolutions and starving multitudes, we will see the rise of democracy. Latin America will change because the power of the Gospel is able to brush aside ignorance and superstition and replace it with knowledge and goodwill. There are at present more native born Protestant ministers in South America than priests of the old faith. And the majority of priests are from Italy and Ireland, not from the lands in which they serve. Protestantism is on the march in Africa. The American Point Four Program is nothing but the expansion of the Protestant program to include large scale public works. And wherever Protestantism takes roots the people begin to live anew. There is no pagan religion that can fill the hearts of simple people with confidence in God’s goodness and love. There is no other way out of darkness for Africa’s millions than the Way of the Gospel. The entire world today seeks peace and freedom. The military leaders usually forget the moral bases of the peace mankind seeks after. Only the Church of Jesus Christ, when it really stands by its principles, can effect the greatly needed changes. Only evangelical Christianity can bring God’s love to men and women in all nations. Protestantism is truly on the march today. Its army is not made up of haughty religious leaders or ecclesiastical politicians. Its witness is simply the united prayer and work of millions of simple believers whose love for mankind and the Gospel gives them faith and courage to not only attempt but also to attain and achieve the impossible.------------o-----------The Future of Christian World Mission The Christian world mission is something very different from “spiritual imperialism, whereby one nation sends agents to another,” delegates to the International Missionary Council’s Assembly agree. Two hundred delegates from 35 member missionary or national Christian Councils concluded a twelve day meeting on the world mission of the Christian Church, January 8. The meeting which began December 28 took place at the University College of Ghana, formerly the Gold Coast, at Achimoto, near Accra, Africa. In addition to the traditional missionary nations of the West, a large number of representatives from the Christian churches of Africa and Asia have played prominent roles in the meeting. The future of the Christian witness depends on the laity in every land, an African doctor and Christian layman, Sir Francis Ibiam of Nigeria, told the delegates. “The Gospel must be proclaimed by every person to every person,” Sir Francis told his audience which included such delegates as Dr. John Karefa-Smart, Minister of Lands, Mines, and Labour of Sierre Leone and the former president-general of the African National Congress, the Rev. Z. R. Mahabane of the Union of South Africa. A Burmán delegate, U Kyaw Than, associate secretary of the newly formed East Asia Christian Conference, said that more than a change in the pattern of Christian missions is needed. Asia has undergone a renaissance as well as a revolution, Kyaw Than emphasized. Buddhism and Burmese culture are bound up together, he said, and Christian missions have failed in making a real encounter. He called for a study of Buddhist culture and Buddhist scripture in the original language. And he condemned the superficial judgments made of Buddhism by many Christians. “The cultured Buddhist or Hindu will wonder why he should give up rich heritage and longstanding refinements for the sake of some other culture,” said Kyaw Than. Veteran professor of missions, Dr. Walter Freytag of West Germany’s University of Hamburg, warned western representatives that the younger churches “have to find their own way. We cannot do it for them.” Western missionary forces react to the new day in three ways: passive, send less missionaries thereby weakening Christian missions; escape, go back to the old days of discovering new fields among primitive peoples; or obedience, accept facts, “learn what God has to teach us” through this situation and the opportunities hidden in limitations.
