A far too eloquent silence. Karl Barth's inexplicable reluctance to address or comment the bloody avengement of the Hungarian Freedom Fight in 1956
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Date
2019
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Debreceni Református Hittudományi Egyetem
Honam Theological University and Seminary
Honam Theological University and Seminary
Citation
Pásztori-Kupán István: A far too eloquent silence. Karl Barth's inexplicable reluctance to address or comment the bloody avengement of the Hungarian Freedom Fight in 1956. In: Kovács Ábrahám - Jaeshik Shin (szerk.): Nationalism, Communism and Christian Identity. Protestant Theological Reflections from Korea and Hungary. Debrecen - Gwangju, Debreceni Református Hittudományi Egyetem - Honam Theological University and Seminary, 2019. 163-178 p.
ISBN:
978 615 5853 22 7
MTMT:
31637442
Abstract
The present paper touches upon Reinhold Niebuhr’s open letter addressed to Karl Barth following the putting down of the Hungarian freedom fight against the Communist regime. Niebuhr’s letter entitled ‘Why is Barth silent on Hungary?’ was published on 23 January 1957 in The Christian Century. I intend to pursue an analysis of Barth’s inexplicable silence over the issue, including his outspokenness during the Second World War as well as the similarly striking attitude of his disciple Josef Lukl Hromádka. The attitude of these theologians can indeed be contrasted by the shocking abnegation of two declared, yet deeply indignant Communists: Jean-Paul Sartre and Peter Fryer. It appears that Barth’s image as a systematic theologian – and especially as a Christian ethicist – may have to be partially re-evaluated by and for contemporary theologians.
Description
Keywords
egyháztörténet ; 1956 ; forradalom