Part 38 (1/2)
”...All surviving Germans who at the age of discrimination witnessed the atrocities of the annihilation of the Jews, and even those who helped their Jewish compatriots under oppression, must confess before G.o.d, to have become accessories to the deeds by lack of alert and self-denying love...” [623]
After several years of discussion on the subject of the relations.h.i.+p of the Church to the Jewish people, the 10th German Evangelical Kirchentag, 1961, set aside one work-group to deal specifically with this subject. Work-group VI of the Kirchentag produced the statement which follows, and it was adopted as the official Report of the a.s.sembly: <293>
”Jews and Christians are insolubly linked with each other. The denial of this link brought forth the hostility to Jews within Christendom. It became one of the main causes of the persecution of Jewry. Jesus of Nazareth is betrayed wherever members of the Jewish people among whom he was born are despised as Jews. Every hostility towards Jews is G.o.dlessness and leads to self-destruction.
The present trial in Jerusalem concerns us all. We Evangelical Christians in Germany recognise that we are involved in it by reason of our guilt.
Because of the need for fresh thought and conversion, we call upon the German public to make the following points their own: 1. Parents and educators should break their silence when meeting the young generation. They should confess their own failure and bring to light the origins of the crimes so that we all may learn how to face the present together. In the present world political situation, throwing off our own failure onto others must threaten not only one section of mankind but all life.
2. The inhumanity of compulsory systems of command where men can argue that criminal orders must be obeyed, is calculated to warn us against the inhuman potentialities of the modern organisation of State and society.
We must be ready to take upon us political responsibility even in spite of risks. Those who were concerned in the preparation and implementation of persecution should resign from high office.
3. Where Jews live amongst us, it is our duty to promote their well-being as best as we can. Likewise everything must be done by us Germans which serves the reconstruction and peace of the State of Israel and its Arab neighbours.
Compensation claims by victims of racial persecution should be settled with special urgency and generosity. The material compensation must be matched by a rebirth of the spirit. In Germany, the so-called Jewish question is today above all a question concerning the future of the Germans.
4. As against the wrong doctrine preached for centuries that G.o.d has cast away the Jewish people, we once again affirm the word of the Apostle: 'G.o.d hath not cast away His people, which He foreknew' (Romans 11, 2)...” [624]
On March 13, 1964, the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany issued the following Declaration on the trials of n.a.z.i criminals:
”...Only ignorance can speak of 'soiling one's own nest' when in fact the cleaning of a badly soiled nest is at stake. Nor is it in any way profitable to try to hide behind the wrongs committed by other nations against members of our people during the war. The ma.s.s murder of Jews and other ethnic groups, with which the German name is connected, is not thereby erased... <294> Even the citizen who had no direct share in the crimes, nay, even he who did not know of them, has a share in the guilt because he was indifferent towards the perversion of all moral standards and all notions of right and wrong among our people. Nor can we exempt ourselves and our congregations from this guilt.
For where all Christians were called upon to uphold the Gospel entrusted to us, to make public affirmation of the everlasting dominion of G.o.d in all spheres of our lives, and, thus armed, to protect the victims of the regime, especially the Jews living amongst us, only few had the insight and the courage to resist.
Forced into this humiliating position, we cannot pretend to be unconcerned with the trials now pending, nor can we turn our gaze away from the crimes now being revealed. It was the folly of our entire nation, and the omissions of us Christians, that enabled those crimes to be perpetrated. There is nothing here that can be condoned, and we must resist all temptations to indulge in self-justification. Rather is it our duty to follow the defendants now as they stand before G.o.d and His judgment.” [626]
In 1963, the Evangelical Kirchentag of German speaking Switzerland adopted the following Resolution:
”Israel and the Church belong together. G.o.d has chosen them both and formed a Covenant with them - first with Israel, then with the Church. The Church has been grafted onto the stem of G.o.d's People. Hence: if one member suffers, all the other members suffer with it. We confess our guilt with regard to Israel, that we Swiss people did not suffer with the Jews either, thus betraying our fellows.h.i.+p with G.o.d's ancient people.
Our hope rests in the fact that we know our sins are forgiven. But for us forgiveness must mean active repentance. Let us make atonement through action.
As Swiss people and Christians let us recognize the following tasks as our next step, and transform them into action: 1. We urge all Christians, both individually and collectively, to take part in a.s.sisting the Jews and promoting mutual contact and mutual respect.
2. We regard it as our Christian duty to oppose all forms of discrimination against Jewish people, and we expect the same att.i.tude from all our fellow-Christians.
3. Short, inexpensive instructive booklets are needed as soon as possible, so that Christians can remedy their ignorance of Jewish history.
4. We recognize a sub-conscious anti-Semitism here in Switzerland too, with devastating and far-reaching effects.
We urge the Church to devote more attention to this question. (Parish evenings, evenings for parents, evenings for mothers, instruction to religious teachers, training of religious teachers).
5. The intercession for Israel, which exists in most liturgies, should be made an integral part of the wors.h.i.+p-service.” [627] <295>
On February 6, 1967, the Archbishop of Sweden sent a circular letter to the ministers of the diocese, from which we quote the following:
'On various occasions accusations have been made against the Church of Sweden for anti-Semitism. This is especially directed towards the way in which the pa.s.sion-history is created. From abroad many appalling examples are known in which 'the Jews' are described as a deicide people, as referring not only to the mob in front of the palace of Pilate which wanted Jesus to be crucified but to the whole people and the generations after them.
In the Swedish tradition of preaching and teaching this is completely unaccepted. Any feeling of revenge and hatred against Romans and Jews is repudiated and it is emphasized that it is our own sin which has brought Jesus to the cross...
The Gospel is against all racial and group discrimination. Each person shall be judged on his own merits according to what he himself is and does.
There is no graduation of the value of man; all are called to be children of G.o.d and are therefore our brothers and sisters, and Christ died for all.
After all, G.o.d alone is the Judge, but never we ourselves.” [628]
On March 18, 1964, the following Statement was issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury:
”It is always wrong when people try to lay blame upon the Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In the event the Roman Governor was no less responsible for what happened.
The important fact, however, is that the crucifixion was the clash between the Love of G.o.d and the sinfulness and selfishness of the whole human race.
Those who crucified Christ are in the true mind of the Christian Church representatives of the whole human race, and it is for no one to point a finger of resentment at those who brought Jesus to his death, but rather to see the crucifixion as the divine judgment upon all humanity for choosing the ways of sin rather than the love of G.o.d.
We all must see ourselves judged by the crucifixion of Christ.” [629]
The General a.s.sembly of the Church of Scotland adopted a statement against anti-Semitism nearly every year. Here follow some examples.
<296> 1945 ”The General a.s.sembly express their renewed sympathy with the Jews in their present circ.u.mstances and a.s.sure them of the Church's friendly interest in all that pertains to their future welfare and in particular commend the active steps, which are being taken to restrain Anti-Semitism and promote better understanding between Christian and Jew.” [630]
1947 ”The General a.s.sembly, aware of the growth of anti-Semitic feeling, condemn anew this att.i.tude as un-Christian and contrary to the mind of our Lord; call upon their faithful people to guard against this grave danger; a.s.sure the Jewish people of their deep sympathy in the present uncertainties and remember especially the many Jews in the Displaced Persons Camps in Europe still awaiting some scheme for their settlement in other lands.” [631]