THE GERMAN CHURCH

By DAVID CAIRNS, C.F.

WHEN the Allied armies broke into Germany in the spring of this year they found in the German Church a situation that could only be understood in the light of the events of the last twelve years. During that time there had been a tremendous and continuous struggle between Church and State. Three parties were involved : the Confessional Church, the German Christians and the Mediating Group. The Confessional Church is the backbone of the Protestant Church in Germany today. After the bogus elections in 1933, by which Muller was foisted on the German Church as its head or Reichsbischof, the Confessional Church came into being as an act of protest. First, it was formed of men who openly con- fessed their faith at a time when it was perilous to do so. And, secondly, it took its stand on the earlier Christian Confessions and on the Barmen Declaration of 1934, which itself is considered by many as a Confession of Faith. The Barmen Declaration states that the Christian Church lives by its faith in the Revelation in Jesus Christ, and that there is no other source of Revelation which can supplement or surpass this. The Confessional Church grew with amazing speed in strength and influence at the beginning, but dwindled somewhat under a long and skilful persecution by the State. During the war it has again grown in numbers and influence. This growth was due to a genuine realisation of the moral and spiritual bankruptcy of Nazism, a lesson no doubt 'enforced by military disasters, but a real lesson for all that.

The second group were the German Christians, led by the Reichs- bischof. They were so keen to be good Germans that they more and more forgot to be Christians. They tried to introduce Nazi racialism and anti-Semitism into the Church, and rejected Christian teaching about sin and forgiveness. Although German Christians were forcibly installed in positions of authority in the Churches of Thuringia, Rhineland and elsewhere in northern Germany, it is in general true to say that their heresy was detected by the Church and vigorously opposed. The German Christian Bishops and office- holders have almost all by now been relieved of their office, some by the Occupying Powers on grounds of security, others by " agree- ment " with the Confessionals, acting, of course, on religious grounds.

The third group was the Mediating Group, less clearly defined than the others, and not known officially by any one name. They tried at first to work with the Nazis, because the latter promised that " positive Christianity " was a plank in their platform. Relying on this promise, the Mediating Group hoped to get scope for evan- gelism among a wider public than the Church had reached for many years. Later, when the real nature of Nazism became more evident, the best men among this group withdrew and joined the Confes- sionals, while others who were weaker became more and more entangled in moral compromise. The story of the Confessional Church and the Mediating Group is one of mingled heroism and weakness, of perplexity and anxiety, which we who live in a free country should be careful not to judge too harshly. Men who remember the story of St. Peter should not be too hasty in casting out from the Church any who are not guilty of downright betrayal. During the war years the Confessional Church was planning for the future. Bishop Wurm was, and remains, the acknowledged leader, though he is seventy-six years old. (Martin NiemUller, it must be remembered, was in prison all the time). Wurm is the Bishop of Wurttemberg, and had a fine record through the years of persecution. During the war he gathered together a large number of clergy and other men and women, creating in different districts groups of people who had stood the test of perse- cution. These groups were in touch with different circles of the population, especially gaining the confidence of the workers. The aim was to widen the area of contact between Church and people. This group's work had to be done in secret, and had three sides. Firstly, in view of a possible collapse of the Nazi Government before there was any alternative power present capable of undertaking the feeding of the country, Wurm's group, in close co-operation with the Roman Church, had undertaken to attempt to feed the whole popu- lation irrespective of race or creed, during a period of crisis. Jews and foreigners, and displaced persons, of whom there were huge

numbers, were explicitly included. The scheme sounds ambitious, but Germans are efficient organisers, and the German Church's great Innere Mission (Home Mission) has at its disposal many people of administrative capacity and experience.

The second task planned in secret by the group was that of evan- gelisation, a task of such size as has seldom been faced by the Church. Such preparations as were possible were made, and the work will now have to be carried out. The provision of German Bibles and Christian literature is one way in which the Church in other lands can help. For there is a famine of these things in Ger- many today, owing to the withholding of paper-stocks by the Nazis—a deliberate policy of throttling the Church. Dr. Wurm's group naturally looked to Sweden and Switzerland for help in this, hardly daring to expect it from enemies of their country.

The third task was that of working out a new Church polity. By bitter experience they had learned what it cost the Church to be too closely related to the State, and had worked out a new constitution, according to which the Church would be more independent of State support and control.

These plans were discovered, and many of the authors of them were put into prison and tortured, on a charge of treason, for the Nazis claimed that even to make these plans implied that the defeat of Germany was expected. As the charges could not be proven, many of the prisoners were released, but others paid the price with their lives. Today the German Church is setting its house in order, in spite of great difficulties. The Fiihrer-principle imposed by the Nazis is being eliminated, and the democratic and lay elements in Church Government are being restored and strengthened.

The problem of communications is a grave one. Since Germany is under the control of four Occupying Powers, and it is impossible for letters, let alone travellers, to move from some areas to others, much that is most essential for the life of the Church remains un- known and much undone. For example, the territory of the old Prussian Union Church is partly in British and American, partly in Russian hands. Many of its funds were administered from Berlin, with which there is now no communication. The British and American authorities do their best to facilitate necessary journeys for leading German Churchmen, but movements are still terribly hampered by necessary restrictions on transport. In many parishes the parson is absent, often a prisoner of war, having served as a Chaplain or a combatant or medical orderly. In one area in the north there are still several hundreds of ministers in prisoner of war camps.

The situation facing the Church is one that both stimulates and appals. Hundreds of thousands of refugees crowd villages and towns ; vast areas of big cities lie in ruins. Those who have only seen bomb-damage in Britain have no conception of the devasta- tion. Few of the populace have escaped bereavement, and in addi- tion nearly everyone has several relations of whose very survival he is ignorant. A German soldier said, " In the last war we had always house, home and family to return to. But now . "

There is a widespread awareness of religious need. The German people are exhausted, physically and spiritually, and some of the clergy give that impression also. The physical difficulties of life lie heavy on them, they have huge parishes overcrowded with refugees, and at the best only very dilapidated bicycles with which to visit them. Church attendance on the whole is good in Germany. The destruction of churches and the influx of ,refugees account for some of the improvement, but not nearly for all. A tour I recently made through Schleswig-Holstein, Odenburg, Han- nover and the Ruhr, during which many contacts were made with leading Churchmen, confirms this beyond doubt.

The children and young people are a problem. Children to whom I spoke near Kid had hardly heard of Jesus Christ. In a few districts parents had been able to give their children Christian

teaching at home, but in others fear of the Nazis had stopped even this. Freedom of religious instruction in school has been

restored, but the teachers are a problem. Many of them are anti- Christian, others as yet lack the necessary training. Others again have both training and conviction, and bravely continued to give Christian and Bible teaching during the persecution. Since the arrival of the Occupying Powers elections in some districts have decided that the Church shall have access to the schools, and free- dom to nominate parsons or Christians as teachers of Scripture. In others this right of entry has been refused, and the present teachers will instruct. In 1933 the Church lost the right of entry, and in 1938 nearly all teachers " voluntarily " resigned the right to give Christian instruction.

The young people from sixteen to thirty are the greatest problem. And it is precisely here that the Church leaders are most hopeful. Dr. Herntrich of Hamburg, Dr. Wilhelm Stahlin, Bishop of Olden- burg, and Dr. Hans Lilje, Assistant Bishop of Hanover, all men of great authority and experienced youth leaders, agree on several points, quite independently of each other. Firstly, Nazism has not struck deep spiritual roots among the German youth Secondly, there are very few among the youth who have been so irretrievably ruined mentally and spiritually by Nazism that there is no hope for them. Thirdly, in their very ignorance of Christianity there lies a huge opportunity for the Christian cause. Ex-Nazis will listen with a freshness and intensity of attention to Christian teaching and preaching which startle the preacher. Dr. Stahlin said, " When I was a young man I often wished for the chance of talking about Christ to young people to whom the whole thing was absolutely new. Today I have that chance, and it is quite as thrill- ing as I ever hoped it would be." " There is," said Dr. Lilje, " a great desire for objective and scientific knowledge among our young people, and a desire for truth of which they have long been starved."

There are grave dangers, and the chief is agreed to be that of spiritual nihilism. The profound insincerity of Nazism, with its whipped-up emotion and rhetorical declamation, was seen through by the intelligent youth, while those who were taken in are now deeply disillusioned. This weariness and cynicism are a very grave threat, and no Christianity anything less than absolutely genuine will be able to impress a people so weary. The moment is favour- able. How long will it last? A sudden change may come quickly. The Nazi demon has been exorcised. If the winter is weathered without too vast a social collapse,.five or ten years may be counted on. After that, if Christianity cannot take a hold, there may be the danger of the seven devils entering in.