OCR Text |
Show Nations Clash With Churches The history of the world is filled with instances of conflict between yarious church organizations organi-zations and existing governments. govern-ments. For many centuries, there has been a tie-up between certain cer-tain organizations and political regimes in many countries. Inevitably, In-evitably, there are occasions that reuslt in the dissolution of the doubtful alliance and sometimes open persecution of yarioua religious re-ligious groups. In recent years, there has been something of an open enmity between be-tween the Roman Catholic Church and the Soviet Government Govern-ment of Russia. This contest is being felt keenly in Eastern Europe but it is rather difficult, from the news available, to figure fig-ure out exactly what is going on. Russia has been denounced as anti-religious and there have been statements that Christian churches are tabooed by the Soviet Government; A recent dispatch dis-patch from Moscow, by the Associated As-sociated Press, however, quotes Dr. Louie Newton, Babtist preacher preach-er of Atlanta, Ga., as saying that his personal investigation in three Russian cities has convinced con-vinced him that a member of his church can practice his faith as openly in the Soviet Union as anywhere in the world. Moreover, in Geneva, Hans Broger, a member of the board of the Rumanian Evangelical church, says that communistic elements in Rumania are "unfriendly" "un-friendly" toward the church but have not taken a militant stand against religion. He points out that Methodists and other Protestant Prot-estant groups, forbidden to function func-tion during Nazi occupation, are permitted to operate freely. In Poland, there is tension between be-tween the Roman Catholic Church and the government, with retaliatory measures predicted against church leaders. Hungary-is Hungary-is debating the question of church schools, with Leftist groups opposing their continuance continu-ance and the teaching of religion in state schooU. From Yugoslavia come reports of strong measures taken against some members of the Roman Catholic clergy and such officials offi-cials say that more thcin 4tV.) priests have been aovai'-d of "Fascist activities' nnd that 200 of them havr been executed. |