Evening star., 1950-06-04
The Week in Religion
BY Religious News Service

lions.
An announcement by the minis
try of Justice in Budapest last week
said the bishop had been released
in response to a petition for elem
ency submitted by DR.. Ivan Reok.
lay president Of the Lutheran
Church, and other leaders.
Bishop OrdaSs was convicted
on charges of receiving remit
tances from American Lutherans
without clearing them through the
National Bank of Hungary. He
was serving O two-year term due
to expire In September.
Release from prison does not
mean, however. that Bishop Ordass
is free to resume his position Of
leadership IN the Lutheran
Church. On the contrary, he has
been deprived OF the right to hold
episcopal Office and may not be
allowed to serve even as an ordi-
nary minister.
Les than two months ago. q
special disciplinary court of the
Lutheran Church. convened at the
request of the government. Or
dered Bishop Ordass removed
from his position as Bishop of the
Banyai district. an office which
gave his pre-eminence over all
other Lutheran bishops in Hun
gary.
Court Gives Reason.
Ostensible reason for the courts
ruling was that, in addition to
being sent to prison. Bishop Ordass
had been condemned to the loss
of civil rights for five years, which
meant that he could not hold
public ofice.
It Is no secret. however, that the
court was under strong govern
ment pressure to oust from the
Church's leadership a man who
was persona non grata to the
Budapest regime. Bishop Ordass'
record had been one Of opposition
to the governments religious pol
icies, especially in regard to the
naturalization of church schools.
On this issue he stood shoulder to
shoulder with Joseph Cardinal
Mindszenty. imprisoned primate of
the Catholic Church In Hungary.
A considerable TRANSFORMATION
has taken place inside the Lu-
theran Church since Bishop Or
dass was convicted on charges
which Protestant leaders in other
countries have denounced as pre-
texts to silence and remove him
from the public scene.
Bishop Ordass had staunchly
opposed establishing an agree
ment between the Lutheran
Church and the Communist gov
ernr1ent. Under his leadership.
the Church had steadfastly re-
sisted state encroachments In its
affairs.
Sermons Censored.
Early in 194S it had diScontin-
ued the broadcast Of religious SER
mons because the manager Of the
Hungarian radio system de-
manded that all sermons be sub
ject to censorship before being |
preached on the air. At that time,
Bishop Ordass asserted that no
secular authority had the right
to sit in judgment over the
proclamations of the Church.
However, Bishop Ordass had
scarcely bene sent to prison when
Bishop Zoltan Thuroczy Of Nyi-
reghazy and other pro-govern-
ment church leaders began ne
eotiations for an understanding"
with the Budapest government.
An agreement calling for CO.
operation between the Church
and the government was finally
signed in December. and later
ratified by the church synod. The
agreement stipulated that the
Lutheran Church would be per-
mitted to enjoy "the fullest re-
ligious liberty" and that the state
would continue to make grants
toward its upkeep.
Meanwhile, Communist party
members and collaborationists
with the government gradually
came into control Of the most i'm
portant Church offices-all as part
Of a drive to bring the Church
Into line"
As successor to Baron Albert
Radvanszky, lay president Of the
church, the Communists obtained
the election of DR.. Ivan Reok. a
leading left-wing member Of the
Small Landholders Party, and a
member of the Hungarian parli-
ament.
Following his election. DR.. Reok
announced he would destroy "the
last bulwark of reaction within
the church." One of his first acts
was to name Pastor Julius Groo
Oh JyOT, RUVcIUIlCIlV tOlldDOi q
tor, as general secretary. This po-
sition had previously been held
by the Rev. Sander Vargha, who
was arrested with Bishop Ordass
and Is now serving three-year
prison term.
In another qualification" move.
DR. Reok suspended DR.. Andreas
Karen, chief pastor Of Budapest
and a close associate of Bishop
Ordass. who had prevented the
Lutheran congregations Of the
capital from giving their votes to
DR.. Reok.
To Be Succeeded by Red.
Now proposed for Bishop Ordass'
ecclesiastical post is Pastor Laszlo
Dezsery Of Budapest, an admitted
Communist, who is serving as
editor Of Evangelikus Elet, pro-
government Lutheran organ. Only
candidate named hv the Co,lncil