Conciliating the Confessional Synod The German Church conflict has taken
another curious turn, and conciliation is the order of the day. On Sunday the Confessional Pastors in Prussia, displaying consider- able courage in view of the probable consequences of their action, read from their pulpits a declaration repu, diating the Church Committees set up on behalf of the State by Herr Kerrl, the Nazi Minister for Church Affairs, and forbidding their members to sit on such Conunittees. This was followed, not as might have been expected by further arrests, but by a sudden detente. Herr Kerrl is evidently trying to reach some agreement through the appointment of provincial Bishops approved both by the Confessional Movement and the " moderates," who accept_ State domination. Not too much must be expected of this. A wave of conciliation has more than once in the past been followed by a fresh wave of oppression, but it is to be observed that Herr Kerrl has gone further and abandoned the idea of proceedings against Dr. Zenker, Bishop of Breslau, who committed the offence of examin- ing theological students without consent of the Reich Church Committees. The resolute attitude of the Con: fessional Synod has caused Herr Hitler grave embarrass- ment, and he may well be anxious to find some basis of agreement which both sides can accept. The real question is whether the fundamentals of .the Confessional faith are not irreconcilable with the fundamentals of Nazi doctrine.
Previous page
