EVANGELISCHES PFARRERBLATT LEIPZIG, EAST GERMANY FEBRUARY 1966

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP78-03061A000400010007-1
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
K
Document Page Count: 
26
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
June 28, 2012
Sequence Number: 
7
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
February 1, 1966
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
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PDF icon CIA-RDP78-03061A000400010007-1.pdf2.63 MB
Body: 
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/28: CIA-RDP78-03061A000400010007-1 EVANGELISCHCS PFARRERBLATT Leipzig, East Germany February 1966 Last November Ct~ :GDR:. s Aged ca1.. Church.managements circulated to ments in the spring of 1965 and was drawn up by a group within the .was commissioned by the GDR. Conference of Evangelical Church Manage "circular regarding pastoral attention to those of draft age" which` their pastoral offices a document which was to be thoroughly discussed Sachsen province church management. meat repeatedly say that the church must work for. a better."international single aspect of the church's considerations regarding peace, namely, the question of conscientious objectors. Although the 25 pages of the docu promises a treatment in'wider scope than the document actually offers. peace and concentrate upon only the aspect mentioned above. that'the authors, ignore the various opportunities of the church,to serve. ...if the document pointed out that this was only one aspect of the .' Christian efforts toward peace: But the t tenor of the document shows to the restriction of the question to that of conscientious objectors, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Central Europe. One would'not object lions given to the relaxation of international tension in areas such as of atomic weapons, the. creation of an atom-free zone.'.., and considera- armament, the stopping of all atomic tests, banning the proliferation responsible statesmen. 't'hese steps include sizggestionsfor general dis- Conference which have led to concrete recommendations being made by 1 the past few years in the ecumenical movement and by the Christian Peace?? peace order," the document does not'explain the many steps taken during in our country with those in the armed'forces?" with the. conscientious objectors in a way which it can no longer do today also those serving in army construction units bear a clearer witness to the present peace message of God.... Should not the church ally itself categories valid in the GDR. Rather, the conscientious objectors and I the church has been reflected equally clearly in all three of'the above meat takes the open viewpoint: "We cannot say that the peace witness of pared to.undertake only civilian work as alternate service. The docu- Christians who