Evening star., 1952-02-15

udTl1lS III SULllS QudI tGTS COOHy.
Several modern issues. most Of
them revolving around Church
Lost Of Q Series Of Five Articles.
--------.s>->-
tstate separation have precipi-
ttated the collision. chiefly be-
tween Roman Catholics and other
faiths.
The Presidents move to send
an ambassador to the Vatican set
of the latest outburst. It has
wandered far afield from the
specific issue.
Charles Y. Clock, manager Of
Columbia University's bureau Of
applied social research, said:
"Such issues sometimes act as
la spark for others. They can
retard the assimilation Of people
and segmentize them into oppos-
/ ing groups. What starts as q
faucet drip can lead to broken
plumbing
Relations Worsened.
DR.. Rheinhold Neihlhr, profess
sor of applied Christianity at
Union Theological Seminary, COM
lmented:
| Protestant and Catholic rela-
tions have almost never been
worse. There are practically no
points of contact"
Father Moorhouse Millar, chair
man Of Fordham University's De-
Ipartment Of Political Philosophy,
SAID much Of the trouble Is due
to misunderstanding and "there
is a great need for clarification
of what is fact and what is fable. =
Many Protestant publications
and speeches have bristled with
broad accusations against the
Catholic Church. Catholic jour-
mails have recorded their replies
and counter -claims. But the re-
spective audiences usually hear
only one side.
Here are some Of the areas of
argument. summarized from print
ed material and statements of
church leaders:
Claim: The Roman Catholic
hierarchy seeks a church-state
union in the United States.
Reply: The ofdcial position of
the Catholic Church is that
church and state are two distinct
institutions, one spiritual, the
other temporal. and that neither
should encroach into the sphere
of the other.
Papal Encyclicals.
Claim: Despite denials, proof
that the Catholic church seeks a
union is contained in various pa
pal encyclicals and pronounce
ments Of the past, condemning
church-state separation.
Reply: In such instances the
holy father was speaking in q his
torical climate that has no refer
|ence to our own. and which does
not apply to the democratic states
which since have evolved in our
Anglo American tradition.
Claim: Many protestants have
made the practical policy Of
church-state separation q shib-
boleth Of doctrinaire secularism,
which would exclude an co-opera-
|tion between government 'and re-
|ligipa.
Reply: Protestants see religion
las the base Of our secular institu-
|tions. but hold that religious
values are strengthened through
the Christian conscience In So
|ciety, not the church in politics.
Charge Of Bigotry.
Claim: Many Protestants have
played on anti-C Catholic prejudice
and bigotry to try to picture the
Catholic Church as un-American
and anti-democratic.
Reply: Responsible Protestants
scorn such evils. But they also
|deplore q tendency Of some Cath.
olics to label any criticism or hon
est differences with the Catholic
Church as anti-C Catholicism or
|bigotry.
Claim: The Catholic church is
authoritarian and tells its world
wide membership what to think,
much, as Moscow gives o Com
munist Zine"
Reply: Except in matters of.
faith and morals, good Catholics
need not agree with Vatican poll
icies. Catholics differ as widely
on political, social and economic
issues as any group. In fact, so
do many priests and bishops.
Claim: The Roman Catholic
church considers it has supremacy
over all governments and the.
right to challenge laws not In
accord with its doctrine.
Reply: Only in the spiritual
realm is the church supreme. and.
it thus may pass moral judgments
on governments. Every faith, and.
every moral man OF conviction
who opposes political domination,
|of conscience, reserves this right.
Discrimination CHARGED.
Claim: Protestant inajorities
discriminate against Catholics III
education by withholding public
support of Catholic schools Oh.
grounds they teach doctrines
Protestants do not share. But
Catholics willingly support public
schools teaching doctrines with
which they disagree.
Reply: Goal OF the public