Religion: Forgiveness for Germans?

Pope Pius XII last week addressed himself to buzz-bombed Londoners: “We have sympathized. . . . We exhort you to bear your trials with Christian resignation and fortitude and also with Christian sentiments of forgiveness, charity and mercy so that God may reward in you what the world will admire in you—an example of magnanimity inspired by the spirit of Christ’s Gospel. . . .”

This message set off a lively Battle of Texts. Author A. P. Herbert, M.P. and literary wit who rarely misses a chance for a well-publicized controversy, began it by writing to the Times: “And these are the people whom His Holiness the Pope enjoins us to consider with forgiveness and charity! Sir, I count myself a Christian; but Christianity as expounded on the higher levels today seems to be less & less distinguishable from feebleness of mind.”

A Benedictine monk, Dom Aelred Graham of Ampleforth Abbey, rushed to the Pope’s defense: “His Holiness does no more than proclaim New Testament Christianity: see Matthew 5:44.* This was the message expounded from the higher level of the cross: see Luke 23:34.† That Mr. Herbert detects in this feebleness of mind sets one wondering! There come to remembrance some striking words of St. Paul very much to the point: see I Corinthians 1:18 . . . .”**

Replied Author Herbert in his second volley to the Times: “It is idle for the Rev. Dom Aelred Graham, the Pope, or anyone else to fling such texts at the British people and expect them to be followed literally as guides to conduct after five years of bloody war against a Satanic foe. And which texts are we to follow? What about Matthew 5:39—’Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also’? Should we never have gone to war?

“If we are to be so precise and literal, it is perhaps permissible to remark that the exact words in Luke 23:34 are ‘Forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ The Germans know very well what they do and have known it for a long time. About forgiveness the British people require no lectures: they forgive and forget with fatal alacrity. But some erring sheep among us still associate forgiveness with contrition and repentance. It will be well enough to invite us not to be vindictive about flying bombs when flying bombs are no more and there has been some sign of repentance, if not retribution.

“All this is highly important; for the literal interpretation of these same texts did much to befog our minds and emasculate our policy in the years between the wars when our main fault was that we tried Christianity too hard; and there is grave danger that we may do it again.”

*But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

† Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

** For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.