emma_goldman
16th June 2006, 03:16
IDEA OF GOD IN THE CHRISTIAN SOCIALISM OF SANDOR GIESSWEIN, THE
Encounter, Winter 2004 by Muray, Leslie A
Sandor Giesswein (1856-1923) was a unique religious and political figure in late nineteenth, early twentieth century Hungary. Somewhat traditional in his theology, he embraced enthusiastically what was then the contemporary science of the times and expressed his Christian Socialism in radical, often solitary ways. Throughout his career, he was on good terms with the church's hierarchy; indeed, he was a canon and Papal Prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. he was able to maintain this relationship throughout his career, in spite of his radicalism and his closeness to groups and parties that were predominantly anti-clerical, even anti-religion. Giesswein felt that it was his Christian responsibility to reach out to and stand in solidarity with (in a non-paternalistic way) the urban working class and their labor unions. Disagreeing with its Marxist materialistic philosophical underpinnings, he was supportive of the program of the Social Democratic Party, which represented much of the urban working class (this was in sharp contrast to the mutual antagonism between much of the hierarchy of the church, the Christian parties, and most of the Social Democrats). The prelate was a consistent pacifist, unusual in a country that has fought for its independence and survival for a good part of its history, with little in the way of a pacifist tradition (although, to be sure, there was the non-violent, "passive" resistance of the Hungarian nobility in response to the repression of the "Bach era" in the aftermath of the suppression of the Revolution of 1848-1849). he backed the Revolution of 1918 and its radically democratic reforms even though the major political parties involved were anti-clerical. Giesswein supported the feminist movement and its aspirations - a movement that had had a role in the October 1918 Revolution and was represented in the government. He withdrew from public life during the short-lived Soviet Republic of 1919, and was later critical of the "Red Terror." Giesswein was also one of the staunchest critics of the "White Terror" of 1919-1920 and its attendant anti-Semitism. Virtually universally admired in Hungary, Giesswein was one of the most consistent parliamentary opponents of the Horthy regime (1920-1944) at the time of his death.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_...401/ai_n9397028 (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4044/is_200401/ai_n9397028)
---------------------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._Hagerty
American Roman Catholic priest & founding member of IWW
----------------------
"He [Jesus] accompanied me in difficult times, in crucial moments. So
Jesus Christ is no doubt a historical figure — he was someone who
rebelled, an anti-imperialist guy. He confronted the Roman Empire....
Because who might think that Jesus was a capitalist? No. Judas was the
capitalist, for taking the coins! Christ was a revolutionary. He
confronted the religious hierarchies. He confronted the economic power
of the time. He preferred death in the defense of his humanistic ideals,
who fostered change.... He is our Jesus Christ."
Hugo Chávez, untitled speech delivered at the Latino Pastoral Action
Center in Bronx, New York City
Encounter, Winter 2004 by Muray, Leslie A
Sandor Giesswein (1856-1923) was a unique religious and political figure in late nineteenth, early twentieth century Hungary. Somewhat traditional in his theology, he embraced enthusiastically what was then the contemporary science of the times and expressed his Christian Socialism in radical, often solitary ways. Throughout his career, he was on good terms with the church's hierarchy; indeed, he was a canon and Papal Prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. he was able to maintain this relationship throughout his career, in spite of his radicalism and his closeness to groups and parties that were predominantly anti-clerical, even anti-religion. Giesswein felt that it was his Christian responsibility to reach out to and stand in solidarity with (in a non-paternalistic way) the urban working class and their labor unions. Disagreeing with its Marxist materialistic philosophical underpinnings, he was supportive of the program of the Social Democratic Party, which represented much of the urban working class (this was in sharp contrast to the mutual antagonism between much of the hierarchy of the church, the Christian parties, and most of the Social Democrats). The prelate was a consistent pacifist, unusual in a country that has fought for its independence and survival for a good part of its history, with little in the way of a pacifist tradition (although, to be sure, there was the non-violent, "passive" resistance of the Hungarian nobility in response to the repression of the "Bach era" in the aftermath of the suppression of the Revolution of 1848-1849). he backed the Revolution of 1918 and its radically democratic reforms even though the major political parties involved were anti-clerical. Giesswein supported the feminist movement and its aspirations - a movement that had had a role in the October 1918 Revolution and was represented in the government. He withdrew from public life during the short-lived Soviet Republic of 1919, and was later critical of the "Red Terror." Giesswein was also one of the staunchest critics of the "White Terror" of 1919-1920 and its attendant anti-Semitism. Virtually universally admired in Hungary, Giesswein was one of the most consistent parliamentary opponents of the Horthy regime (1920-1944) at the time of his death.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_...401/ai_n9397028 (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4044/is_200401/ai_n9397028)
---------------------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._Hagerty
American Roman Catholic priest & founding member of IWW
----------------------
"He [Jesus] accompanied me in difficult times, in crucial moments. So
Jesus Christ is no doubt a historical figure — he was someone who
rebelled, an anti-imperialist guy. He confronted the Roman Empire....
Because who might think that Jesus was a capitalist? No. Judas was the
capitalist, for taking the coins! Christ was a revolutionary. He
confronted the religious hierarchies. He confronted the economic power
of the time. He preferred death in the defense of his humanistic ideals,
who fostered change.... He is our Jesus Christ."
Hugo Chávez, untitled speech delivered at the Latino Pastoral Action
Center in Bronx, New York City