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APPENDIX 2. Message to the Pastors (Brethren Council, August 1945) The following translation with minor revisions is from Ecumenical Press Service 35 (September 1945). In the face of our present collapse, we acknowledge all that has happened. We experienced how a political doctrine, which claimed to have a religious foundation, arose, asserted itself with unparalleled fanaticism, and treated its opponents worse than criminals. The empire , which rested on this political doctrine, collapsed in a violent catastrophe, and brought ruin to many peoples—not least our own. Inescapably trapped in this desperate situation, we are frightened by the manifestations of demons and apocalyptic powers that are bringing about this chaos. Demonic was the power that in the last few years drove the German people to atrocities before which we and the entire world shudder with horror. Apocalyptic were the manifestations of total war. The world trembles before the possibility that the tools of war could be used again in such a way that mankind would destroy itself. Moral standards are inadequate to measure the greatness of the guilt that our people have assumed. Fresh deeds of inhumanity are constantly coming to light. Many cannot yet grasp the fact that all this can be true. In the darkness of our guilt death threatens both the body and soul of our people. We confess our guilt and bow under the burden of its consequences. From the depths below we look up to Christ, the crucified one. He alone saves us and intercedes for us. From the depths below we look up to Christ, the risen one. He allows us to live in the midst of death. In his righteousness he opens for us the door to right and order. He allows us, as the free children of God, to serve his creation until the day when it too becomes free of serving the transitory nature of man’s existence. Because of this, we are commanded: “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die.”1 The hearts of men are at the point of breaking because of the harsh reality around them. And yet it is God who in everything is punishing us with his merciful justice. He wants to provide us with assistance that is greater than all the distress that surrounds us and is seeking to overwhelm us. “Therefore the grave enlarges its appetite and opens its mouth without limit; into it will descend their nobles and masses with all their brawlers and revelers. So man will be brought low and mankind humbled, the eyes of the arrogant humbled. But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness.”2 The work of reordering the church also must take place in obedience to the merciful judg1 . Revelation 3:2. 2. Isaiah 5:14–16. ment of God. There is a great temptation to go back where we were before the persecution of the National Socialists. We must recognize, however, the fact that this way out, which would deny God’s judgment, is forbidden us. Not long ago we issued a statement at Barmen, and we are thankful we were able to. We also know, however, that the preaching and practice of the church in many respects fell short of this statement. We shall have to try harder to be true to it. Likewise, we know that at Barmen not everything could be said which must be said today. We classify ourselves by our confession. We are not free to disregard our confessional classification. Each of us is called to be true to our confession. We have no right to say the diªerences between the confessions are irrelevant. However, at the same time we feel that God is at work bringing Christians of diªerent confessions closer together than ever before. Intact and destroyed churches are in the same condition today, in the sense that the harm done to the churches did not begin in 1933. Even earlier than this, a deplorable state of aªairs arose—traceable to the confusion of church and state powers—that led to a predominance of bureaucracy in the church. Consequently it is not enough now merely to repair the damage caused by National Socialism. Our task goes further. A new order must emerge under the guidance of God and Biblical knowledge, church decisions, and spiritual enlightenment given to us by God. In the midst of the distress of the last...

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