Confronting the Nazi War on Christianity

Confronting the Nazi War on Christianity

Author: Richard Bonney

Publisher: Peter Lang

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 594

ISBN-13: 9783039119042

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Contemporaries and historians have found it difficult to interpret the ambiguous relationship between National Socialism and Christianity. Both the Catholic and Protestant Churches tended to agree with National Socialists in their authoritarianism, their attacks on socialism and communism, and their campaign against the Versailles Treaty; but the doctrinal position of the Churches could not be reconciled with the principle of racism, a foreign policy of unlimited aggressive warfare, or a domestic agenda involving the complete subservience of Church to State. Important sections of the Nazi Party sought the complete extirpation of Christianity and its substitution by a purely racial religion, but considerations of expediency made it impossible for the National Socialist leadership to adopt this radical anti-Christian stance as official policy. The Kulturkampf Newsletters, which have not appeared in English since the 1930s, were produced by German Catholic exiles in France. They scrupulously document the tensions between various strands of Nazi policy, and the nature of the policy eventually adopted: this was to reduce the Churches' influence in all areas of public life through the use of every available means, yet without provoking the difficulties - diplomatic as well as domestic - which an openly declared war of extermination might have caused.


Book Synopsis Confronting the Nazi War on Christianity by : Richard Bonney

Download or read book Confronting the Nazi War on Christianity written by Richard Bonney and published by Peter Lang. This book was released on 2009 with total page 594 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contemporaries and historians have found it difficult to interpret the ambiguous relationship between National Socialism and Christianity. Both the Catholic and Protestant Churches tended to agree with National Socialists in their authoritarianism, their attacks on socialism and communism, and their campaign against the Versailles Treaty; but the doctrinal position of the Churches could not be reconciled with the principle of racism, a foreign policy of unlimited aggressive warfare, or a domestic agenda involving the complete subservience of Church to State. Important sections of the Nazi Party sought the complete extirpation of Christianity and its substitution by a purely racial religion, but considerations of expediency made it impossible for the National Socialist leadership to adopt this radical anti-Christian stance as official policy. The Kulturkampf Newsletters, which have not appeared in English since the 1930s, were produced by German Catholic exiles in France. They scrupulously document the tensions between various strands of Nazi policy, and the nature of the policy eventually adopted: this was to reduce the Churches' influence in all areas of public life through the use of every available means, yet without provoking the difficulties - diplomatic as well as domestic - which an openly declared war of extermination might have caused.

Catholics Confronting Hitler

Catholics Confronting Hitler

Author: Peter Bartley

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2016-09-21

Total Pages: 275

ISBN-13: 1681497298

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Written with economy and in chronological order, this book offers a comprehensive account of the response to the Nazi tyranny by Pope Pius XII, his envoys, and various representatives of the Catholic Church in every country where Nazism existed before and during WWII. Peter Bartley makes extensive use of primary sources letters, diaries, memoirs, official government reports, German and British. He manifestly quotes the works of several prominent Nazis, of churchmen, diplomats, members of the Resistance, and ordinary Jews and gentiles who left eye-witness accounts of life under the Nazis, in addition to the wartime correspondence between Pius XII and President Roosevelt. This book reveals how resistance to Hitler and rescue work engaged many churchmen and laypeople at all levels, and was often undertaken in collaboration with Protestants and Jews. The Church paid a high price in many countries for its resistance, with hundreds of churches closed down, bishops exiled or martyred, and many priests shot or sent to Nazi death camps. Bartley also explores the supposed inaction of the German bishops over Hitler's oppression of the Jews, showing that the Reich Concordat did not deter the hierarchy and clergy from protesting the regime's iniquities or from rescuing its victims. While giving clear evidence for Papal condemnation of the Jewish persecution, he also explains why Pius XII could not completely set aside the language of diplomacy and be more openly vocal in his rebuke of the Nazis.


Book Synopsis Catholics Confronting Hitler by : Peter Bartley

Download or read book Catholics Confronting Hitler written by Peter Bartley and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2016-09-21 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written with economy and in chronological order, this book offers a comprehensive account of the response to the Nazi tyranny by Pope Pius XII, his envoys, and various representatives of the Catholic Church in every country where Nazism existed before and during WWII. Peter Bartley makes extensive use of primary sources letters, diaries, memoirs, official government reports, German and British. He manifestly quotes the works of several prominent Nazis, of churchmen, diplomats, members of the Resistance, and ordinary Jews and gentiles who left eye-witness accounts of life under the Nazis, in addition to the wartime correspondence between Pius XII and President Roosevelt. This book reveals how resistance to Hitler and rescue work engaged many churchmen and laypeople at all levels, and was often undertaken in collaboration with Protestants and Jews. The Church paid a high price in many countries for its resistance, with hundreds of churches closed down, bishops exiled or martyred, and many priests shot or sent to Nazi death camps. Bartley also explores the supposed inaction of the German bishops over Hitler's oppression of the Jews, showing that the Reich Concordat did not deter the hierarchy and clergy from protesting the regime's iniquities or from rescuing its victims. While giving clear evidence for Papal condemnation of the Jewish persecution, he also explains why Pius XII could not completely set aside the language of diplomacy and be more openly vocal in his rebuke of the Nazis.

The End of Illusions

The End of Illusions

Author: Joseph Loconte

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Published: 2004-10-01

Total Pages: 266

ISBN-13: 0742578240

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The rise of Islamic radicalism has led to heated discussions about how best to address the threat of religious terror. Disputes covering the right and wrong of war with Iraq, and the even bigger war on terrorism, continue to rage across America. But this is not the first argument of this nature—America was faced with a similar moral dilemma on the eve of World War II. Fascism was conquering Europe, and religious leaders across the nation vehemently debated how to confront Nazi Germany. In The End of Illusions: Religious Leaders Confront Hitler's Gathering Storm, Joseph Loconte brings together pieces from the most significant religious thinkers of the pre-war period. In these essays, the writers eloquently and passionately present their arguments for going to war or maintaining the peace. In doing so, they explore issues vibrantly relevant today, including the Christian cause for war, the problem of evil, and America's role in the world. These urgently written pieces connect the past with the present and resonate with renewed clarity and poignancy.


Book Synopsis The End of Illusions by : Joseph Loconte

Download or read book The End of Illusions written by Joseph Loconte and published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. This book was released on 2004-10-01 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The rise of Islamic radicalism has led to heated discussions about how best to address the threat of religious terror. Disputes covering the right and wrong of war with Iraq, and the even bigger war on terrorism, continue to rage across America. But this is not the first argument of this nature—America was faced with a similar moral dilemma on the eve of World War II. Fascism was conquering Europe, and religious leaders across the nation vehemently debated how to confront Nazi Germany. In The End of Illusions: Religious Leaders Confront Hitler's Gathering Storm, Joseph Loconte brings together pieces from the most significant religious thinkers of the pre-war period. In these essays, the writers eloquently and passionately present their arguments for going to war or maintaining the peace. In doing so, they explore issues vibrantly relevant today, including the Christian cause for war, the problem of evil, and America's role in the world. These urgently written pieces connect the past with the present and resonate with renewed clarity and poignancy.

The Church Confronts the Nazis

The Church Confronts the Nazis

Author: Hubert G. Locke

Publisher: Edwin Mellen Press

Published: 1984

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 9780889467620

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A collection of working papers published in preparation for the American conference at Seattle observing the 50th anniversary of the Barmen Declaration. In the paper by J.S. Conway, the struggle between the churches and the Third Reich is detailed. The author argues that the Barmen Declaration was not intended as a political protest against the Hitler state, but only the nazified Church, that the Confessing Church was never really the spearhead of resistance to the tyranny that engulfed Germany, that the Roman Catholic Church was essentially neutralized and that the churchgoing population did not realize the implications of Nazism until it was too late.


Book Synopsis The Church Confronts the Nazis by : Hubert G. Locke

Download or read book The Church Confronts the Nazis written by Hubert G. Locke and published by Edwin Mellen Press. This book was released on 1984 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of working papers published in preparation for the American conference at Seattle observing the 50th anniversary of the Barmen Declaration. In the paper by J.S. Conway, the struggle between the churches and the Third Reich is detailed. The author argues that the Barmen Declaration was not intended as a political protest against the Hitler state, but only the nazified Church, that the Confessing Church was never really the spearhead of resistance to the tyranny that engulfed Germany, that the Roman Catholic Church was essentially neutralized and that the churchgoing population did not realize the implications of Nazism until it was too late.

A Church Divided

A Church Divided

Author: Matthew D. Hockenos

Publisher: Indiana University Press

Published: 2004-10-20

Total Pages: 300

ISBN-13: 9780253110312

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book closely examines the turmoil in the German Protestant churches in the immediate postwar years as they attempted to come to terms with the recent past. Reeling from the impact of war, the churches addressed the consequences of cooperation with the regime and the treatment of Jews. In Germany, the Protestant Church consisted of 28 autonomous regional churches. During the Nazi years, these churches formed into various alliances. One group, the German Christian Church, openly aligned itself with the Nazis. The rest were cautiously opposed to the regime or tried to remain noncommittal. The internal debates, however, involved every group and centered on issues of belief that were important to all. Important theologians such as Karl Barth were instrumental in pressing these issues forward. While not an exhaustive study of Protestantism during the Nazi years, A Church Divided breaks new ground in the discussion of responsibility, guilt, and the Nazi past.


Book Synopsis A Church Divided by : Matthew D. Hockenos

Download or read book A Church Divided written by Matthew D. Hockenos and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2004-10-20 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book closely examines the turmoil in the German Protestant churches in the immediate postwar years as they attempted to come to terms with the recent past. Reeling from the impact of war, the churches addressed the consequences of cooperation with the regime and the treatment of Jews. In Germany, the Protestant Church consisted of 28 autonomous regional churches. During the Nazi years, these churches formed into various alliances. One group, the German Christian Church, openly aligned itself with the Nazis. The rest were cautiously opposed to the regime or tried to remain noncommittal. The internal debates, however, involved every group and centered on issues of belief that were important to all. Important theologians such as Karl Barth were instrumental in pressing these issues forward. While not an exhaustive study of Protestantism during the Nazi years, A Church Divided breaks new ground in the discussion of responsibility, guilt, and the Nazi past.

Christian Responses to the Holocaust

Christian Responses to the Holocaust

Author: Donald J. Dietrich

Publisher: Syracuse University Press

Published: 2003-10-01

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 9780815630296

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Delineates the roles that individuals and their churches played in confronting Hitler. Written by both Jewish and Christian scholars, these essays focus on the Christian responses to Nazism and delineate the roles that individuals and their churches played in confronting Hitler.


Book Synopsis Christian Responses to the Holocaust by : Donald J. Dietrich

Download or read book Christian Responses to the Holocaust written by Donald J. Dietrich and published by Syracuse University Press. This book was released on 2003-10-01 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Delineates the roles that individuals and their churches played in confronting Hitler. Written by both Jewish and Christian scholars, these essays focus on the Christian responses to Nazism and delineate the roles that individuals and their churches played in confronting Hitler.

Churches and Religion in the Second World War

Churches and Religion in the Second World War

Author: Jan Bank

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2016-03-24

Total Pages: 624

ISBN-13: 1472504798

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Despite the wealth of historical literature on the Second World War, the subject of religion and churches in occupied Europe has been undervalued – until now. This critical European history is unique in delivering a rich and detailed analysis of churches and religion during the Second World War, looking at the Christian religions of occupied Europe: Catholicism, Lutheranism, Calvinism, and Orthodoxy. The authors engage with key themes such as relations between religious institutions and the occupying forces; religion as a key factor in national identity and resistance; theological answers to the Fascist and National Socialist ideologies, especially in terms of the persecution of the Jews; Christians as bystanders or protectors in the Holocaust; and religious life during the war. Churches and Religion in the Second World War will be of great value to students and scholars of European history, the Second World War and religion and theology.


Book Synopsis Churches and Religion in the Second World War by : Jan Bank

Download or read book Churches and Religion in the Second World War written by Jan Bank and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2016-03-24 with total page 624 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite the wealth of historical literature on the Second World War, the subject of religion and churches in occupied Europe has been undervalued – until now. This critical European history is unique in delivering a rich and detailed analysis of churches and religion during the Second World War, looking at the Christian religions of occupied Europe: Catholicism, Lutheranism, Calvinism, and Orthodoxy. The authors engage with key themes such as relations between religious institutions and the occupying forces; religion as a key factor in national identity and resistance; theological answers to the Fascist and National Socialist ideologies, especially in terms of the persecution of the Jews; Christians as bystanders or protectors in the Holocaust; and religious life during the war. Churches and Religion in the Second World War will be of great value to students and scholars of European history, the Second World War and religion and theology.

Confronting the Silence: A Holocaust Survivor’s Search for God

Confronting the Silence: A Holocaust Survivor’s Search for God

Author: Walter Ziffer

Publisher: Plunkett Lake Press

Published: 2019-08-10

Total Pages: 156

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In this memoir, Walter Ziffer, a Holocaust survivor born in Czechoslovakia in 1927, recounts his boyhood experiences, the Polish and later German invasions of his hometown, the destruction of his synagogue, his Jewish community’s forced move into a ghetto, and his 1942 deportation and ensuing experiences in eight Nazi concentration and slave labor camps. In 1945, Ziffer returned to his hometown, trained as a mechanic and later emigrated to the US where he converted to Christianity, married, graduated from Vanderbilt University with an engineering degree, worked for General Motors before becoming a Christian minister. He taught and preached in Ohio, France, Washington DC and Belgium. He later returned to Judaism and considers himself a Jewish secular humanist. “The compelling story of an unfolding life carried by an insatiable search for meaning.” — Mahan Siler, retired Baptist minister “In Walter Ziffer’s beautifully written new book, you will learn of Walter’s complex life journey, and you may experience, thanks to his skillfully told story and clearly articulated questions and insights, a sense of his presence, the presence of a great man who finds in his own story lessons important for the rest of us, especially now.” —Richard Chess, Director, The Center for Jewish Studies at UNC Asheville “A powerful and unique addition to the literature of the Holocaust. Walter Ziffer’s memoir not only recounts his own personal resilience and survival of the camps, but also his own unusual spiritual journey in which he both becomes a Christian minister while retaining his quintessential Jewish identity. This is a learned, well-crafted, and fascinating new dimension to this literature.” — Michael Sartisky, President Emeritus, Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities “The Holocaust portion [of this memoir]... is as true and chilling as a parent’s last words. His tale-telling prowess makes as strong a mental impression as it makes a factual one.” — Rob Neufeld, Asheville Citizen-Times


Book Synopsis Confronting the Silence: A Holocaust Survivor’s Search for God by : Walter Ziffer

Download or read book Confronting the Silence: A Holocaust Survivor’s Search for God written by Walter Ziffer and published by Plunkett Lake Press. This book was released on 2019-08-10 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this memoir, Walter Ziffer, a Holocaust survivor born in Czechoslovakia in 1927, recounts his boyhood experiences, the Polish and later German invasions of his hometown, the destruction of his synagogue, his Jewish community’s forced move into a ghetto, and his 1942 deportation and ensuing experiences in eight Nazi concentration and slave labor camps. In 1945, Ziffer returned to his hometown, trained as a mechanic and later emigrated to the US where he converted to Christianity, married, graduated from Vanderbilt University with an engineering degree, worked for General Motors before becoming a Christian minister. He taught and preached in Ohio, France, Washington DC and Belgium. He later returned to Judaism and considers himself a Jewish secular humanist. “The compelling story of an unfolding life carried by an insatiable search for meaning.” — Mahan Siler, retired Baptist minister “In Walter Ziffer’s beautifully written new book, you will learn of Walter’s complex life journey, and you may experience, thanks to his skillfully told story and clearly articulated questions and insights, a sense of his presence, the presence of a great man who finds in his own story lessons important for the rest of us, especially now.” —Richard Chess, Director, The Center for Jewish Studies at UNC Asheville “A powerful and unique addition to the literature of the Holocaust. Walter Ziffer’s memoir not only recounts his own personal resilience and survival of the camps, but also his own unusual spiritual journey in which he both becomes a Christian minister while retaining his quintessential Jewish identity. This is a learned, well-crafted, and fascinating new dimension to this literature.” — Michael Sartisky, President Emeritus, Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities “The Holocaust portion [of this memoir]... is as true and chilling as a parent’s last words. His tale-telling prowess makes as strong a mental impression as it makes a factual one.” — Rob Neufeld, Asheville Citizen-Times

Hitler's Cross

Hitler's Cross

Author: Erwin W. Lutzer

Publisher: Moody Publishers

Published: 2015-12-15

Total Pages: 250

ISBN-13: 0802493300

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The story of Nazi Germany is one of conflict between two saviors and two crosses. “Deine Reich komme,” Hitler prayed publicly—“Thy Kingdom come.” But to whose kingdom was he referring? When Germany truly needed a savior, Adolf Hitler falsely assumed the role. He directed his countrymen to a cross, but he bent and hammered the true cross into a horrific substitute: a swastika. Where was the church through all of this? With a few exceptions, the German church looked away while Hitler inflicted his “Final Solution” upon the Jews. Hitler’s Cross is a chilling historical account of what happens when evil meets a silent, shrinking church, and an intriguing and convicting exposé of modern America’s own hidden crosses. Erwin W. Lutzer extracts a number of lessons from this dark chapter in world history, such as: The dangers of confusing church and state The role of God in human tragedy The parameters of Satan's freedom Hitler's Cross is the story of a nation whose church forgot its call and discovered its failure way too late. It is a cautionary tale for every church and Christian to remember who the true King is.


Book Synopsis Hitler's Cross by : Erwin W. Lutzer

Download or read book Hitler's Cross written by Erwin W. Lutzer and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2015-12-15 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of Nazi Germany is one of conflict between two saviors and two crosses. “Deine Reich komme,” Hitler prayed publicly—“Thy Kingdom come.” But to whose kingdom was he referring? When Germany truly needed a savior, Adolf Hitler falsely assumed the role. He directed his countrymen to a cross, but he bent and hammered the true cross into a horrific substitute: a swastika. Where was the church through all of this? With a few exceptions, the German church looked away while Hitler inflicted his “Final Solution” upon the Jews. Hitler’s Cross is a chilling historical account of what happens when evil meets a silent, shrinking church, and an intriguing and convicting exposé of modern America’s own hidden crosses. Erwin W. Lutzer extracts a number of lessons from this dark chapter in world history, such as: The dangers of confusing church and state The role of God in human tragedy The parameters of Satan's freedom Hitler's Cross is the story of a nation whose church forgot its call and discovered its failure way too late. It is a cautionary tale for every church and Christian to remember who the true King is.

A Requiem for Hitler

A Requiem for Hitler

Author: Klaus Scholder

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2008-10-29

Total Pages: 223

ISBN-13: 1606081691

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Professor Scholder's book is a major contribution to our understanding of Christianity under the Nazi regime, in some ways going beyond his definitive history of the German churches under the Third Reich. The volume paints a vivid picture of the problems of living under any kind of totalitarian regime, with a wealth of detailed evidence and insightful judgments. A few illustrations from the book:- After the news of Adolf Hitler's death, Cardinal Bertram of Breslau, the senior German prelate, drafted an order for a requiem mass to be said for Hitler throughout his churches. - Under the Hitler regime any resistance in both Protestant and Catholic churches came largely from individuals; officially the churches were interested above all in maintaining their status quo. - When Germany entered the Spanish Civil War, Hitler offered the churches support if they would join his battle against Bolshevism. Students, historians, and the general reader will be captivated by Scholder's perceptive and challenging interpretations of the churches in Western Europe prior to and during the Second World War, which still have relevance for us today.


Book Synopsis A Requiem for Hitler by : Klaus Scholder

Download or read book A Requiem for Hitler written by Klaus Scholder and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2008-10-29 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Professor Scholder's book is a major contribution to our understanding of Christianity under the Nazi regime, in some ways going beyond his definitive history of the German churches under the Third Reich. The volume paints a vivid picture of the problems of living under any kind of totalitarian regime, with a wealth of detailed evidence and insightful judgments. A few illustrations from the book:- After the news of Adolf Hitler's death, Cardinal Bertram of Breslau, the senior German prelate, drafted an order for a requiem mass to be said for Hitler throughout his churches. - Under the Hitler regime any resistance in both Protestant and Catholic churches came largely from individuals; officially the churches were interested above all in maintaining their status quo. - When Germany entered the Spanish Civil War, Hitler offered the churches support if they would join his battle against Bolshevism. Students, historians, and the general reader will be captivated by Scholder's perceptive and challenging interpretations of the churches in Western Europe prior to and during the Second World War, which still have relevance for us today.