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Church and Theology in Germany During the Time of National Socialism, 1933-1945
  • Charles Maynard
Charles Maynard
University of Washington

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Abstract

This paper examines how the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches and their theologians responded to the specter of national socialism. The Roman Catholic church was silent regarding the Jewish genocide, while the German Christian church sought to remove all vestiges of Judaism. The Confessing church struggled against its Protestant counterpart, but failed to address the genocide. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, one of a few who resisted the regime, recognized the error of the dichotomy between faith and political life. It was this grievous error made by good churches and good people that contributed to the development of the evil regime that continues to haunt the church.