He could not do otherwise : Bishop Lajos Ordass, 1901-1978 /

Lajos Ordass was a Hungarian Lutheran bishop. Though he is virtually unknown in the West, his courage of conviction under Nazi and later Communist oppression inspired those who knew him. Terray, a Norwegian pastor and author, completed this biography in 1984 and added an epilog to Gritsch's translation, bringing the story up-to-date. Ordass, who lived through two world wars and the Cold War, never ceased to be an advocate of religious freedom and was active in the World Council of Churches. A growing effort by the Communist government to stamp out all but a state-approved church finally led to his imprisonment and enforced retirement. Forbidden to preach, Ordass wrote over 14 books and continued to influence all who came to him until his death in 1978. In 1995, under a new government, he was cleared and reinstated posthumously as bishop. This is an excellent biography of a largely unknown Christian leader. Recommended for academic and public libraries.‘C. Robert Nixon, M.L.S., Lafayette, Ind. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.