The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-01-05

THE holiday season has revived discussion
Il of the place Of Christianity in social proc
esses and suggested the relationship between
Christian and Jew. These books make an i'm
portant contribution to several phases of such
issues.
John Bunyan is popularity known chiefly for
his pious fantasy, Pilgrims Progress, but as
Professor Tindau makes clear he was a mouth
piece for the political and economic discomfort
of the oppressed artisan classes in seventeenth
century England. In words which are not ir-
revelant for our own day, Professor Tindall por-
trays the social background of Bunyans age
ITO the bewilderment Of the comfortably fed,
the obscure and the hungry appeared to be dis
contented with their portion. Burdened by what
they presumed to call economic injustice, sad
dened by social inequality, and animated by the
fervor of heaven, the vulgar relieved their pas
sions in occasional riots which were carefully
suppressed but chiefly in those conventional
signs which their leaders and agitators the lay
preachers, formulated and vented for the salts
faction OF the inarticulate Their own position
had prejudiced these preachers against rank
and learning, and as leaders of the people they
made the troubles Of the oppressed their own"
RUT, as has usually been the case, the preach
- ing of Bunyan and his associates against
oppression had little practical effect in reliev-
ing the lot of the poor. AS Professor Tindall
observes: The fears of the rich were idle; the
energies Of the oppressed dissipated into inef-
1ectuaI mutter1ngs against the rich and the
mighty, and the propaganda of the preachers
IS OF significance today not as the incentive to
an historic instruction, but as the monument
over their hopes"
Dean Smaller Mathews of the University of
Chicago has long been known as a leader of
religious enlightenment devout modernism and
the social applications of ChriStianity In this
book he brings together a very interesting and
cogent summary of his views on the social eco
nomc and political applications of Christian
lty to our contemporary problems.
He holds that Christianity faces today a sit
uation comparable to that which confronted it
at the close of the Middle Ages Then the feu-
dial and immortal system was breaking down
and insecurity faced the mass of mankind So
Professionalism and especially Calvinisrn, sought
security by throwing its weight to support of
The rising capitalism of that age. Today cap
ltallsm is disintegrating and progressive Chris
tlans are facing the alternative of imposing
social control on capitalism or else devisng some
other economic system which will bring them
economic security. But any effort to create
social gospel to aid mankind is bitterly OPP
posed by ultraconserVative groups within the
Christian church."
THE issue today is one of "moralizing" the
Il machine age SO as to give security and JUS
tice to the mass of mankind. If capitalism can
not produce this security and justice we shall
have to turn to some other mode of controlling
our economic life, and Dean Mathews fails to
discern much hope in Imperialism, Fascism and
war
One group to whom the Yuletide has brought
no special joys are the German Jews, to which
PROFESSOR Marcus devotes what is by far the
best historical study which has appeared in the
English language. He gives us a full history
OF the achievements of modern German Jews
IN culture economics and politics. exposing in
cldentally with great effect the myth of the
Jewish dominance in German economic and
financial life.
Professor Marcus clearly reveals that the
Hitler persecution, like all other prosecutions of
the Jews, Is defeating its purpose namely. of
suppreSslng Judaism. Germany Judaism was
well on its way to satisfactory adjustment to
German culture and politics. What Hitler has
done has been to stimulate Jewish racial and
national self-consciousness to the highest mitch
1t has ever reached in Germany. It has also
created intense pro-Semitic feeling outside Ger
many.
The Germans have been famous for their
study OF history, but apparently the National
SOCIALISTS IN Germany are devoid of competent
historical advice in relation to the Jewish prob |
lem as well as in most of their other policies