The Nazi Persecution of the Churches [Paperback]

J. S. Conway (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1997

Conway presents a landmark text on the history of German churches during the Nazi era.

Product Details

• Paperback: 474 pages
• Publisher: Regent College Publishing (February 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573830801
• ISBN-13: 978-1573830805
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #697,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars --, April 19, 2009

By 

Christian Review of Books - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Nazi Persecution of the Churches (Paperback)

Incredible as it may seem, some enemies of Christianity have been trying to
link Christianity with Hitler, asserting that he and other Nazis were either
Christians or influenced by Christianity. Instead of going around in endless
conversations about what Hitler said or didn't say, or meant or didn't mean,
it is better to see what actually happened to the churches (Protestant and
Catholic) in the Third Reich.

For an understanding of this situation, an excellent source is J. S.
Conway's "The Nazi Persecution of the Churches" (Regent College Publishing,
2001). This describes with meticulous scholarship and more than ample
documentation the sad story of the church in Nazi Germany.

One unique feature of the book is that it draws on official documents from
Nazi archives to reveal official policy toward the churches. Some members of
the Nazi hierarchy, such as Bormann and Himmler, were more overtly hostile
to Christianity and felt that outright persecution was the best way to deal
with those who refused to accept the "new order." Others felt that
Christianity was doomed to die out, and the wisest policy was to put
pressure on the church, but to concentrate on winning the youth, while
avoiding stirring up unnecessary hostility that would weaken support for the
government (accepting that the churches must be strictly controlled and
dissent forbidden).

Also important is the detailed description of the measures taken by the Nazi
government to limit the activities of the churches and hasten their demise -
for example:

*arrests of clergy and incarceration in concentration camps
*murders of religious opponents of the regime
*physical assaults on clergymen ignored by the police
*academic, social, youth, labor, professional, women's and athletic
religious organizations and associations banned
*seizure of church property, including orphanages, hospitals, monasteries
and schools (with religious insignias removed and teachers fired)
*Catholic civil servants dismissed
*church publications censored or forbidden
*religious meetings broken up by SA attacks
*dissolution of religious political parties
*attacks on church and Christianity in the press
*attempts to force all German churches into one state controlled church
*restriction of religious activities to church buildings only
*surveillance of worship services and church leaders
*public attacks on the church by Nazi leaders, including Goebbels and
Goering
*criticisms of National Socialism or the government forbidden
*the establishment of new religious groups forbidden
*civil servants required to withdraw their children from religious youth
organizations with loss of job the penalty for refusing to comply
*total submission of the church to the state in every respect
*"separation of church and state" meant the churches were allowed to have no
say whatever in political questions
*high school teachers forbidden to be active in religious youth groups
*clergymen, including monks and nuns, arrested and tried on trumped up
charges
*prayers forbidden at school assemblies
*removal of crucifixes and religious paintings from schools
*numerous independent religious groups banned completely

Concerning the reaction of Christians to the New Order, Conway does not try
to minimize the strong support Hitler received from Christians and the
church leadership. Some Christians were hopelessly naive, and accepted
Hitler's promises to respect the rights of the churches (before he came to
power and shortly thereafter). They felt that Hitler was the solution to
Germany's political problems and shared some of his basic goals (restoration
of political stability, recovery of territory lost in the war, and
cancellation of the Versailles Treaty) without completely sharing his
ideology.

Others enthusiastically supported Hitler to the extent that they thought
uniting the churches with Naziism would strengthen the church and even lead
to a revival of Christianity - a new Christianity in tune with the new
times.

The very few Christians who refused to cooperate and suffered intense
persecution; the nominal Christians who kept quiet out of fear; the gullible
Christians who were deceived by Hitler's promises and nice words; the
theologically bankrupt Christians who tried to adapt Christianity to the new
faith - Conway has explored this dark period of church history with great
skill and insight.

The one negative comment I would like to make about the book is that the
author should not have referred to Rudolf Bultmann as a reputable
theologian.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An unblinking look at how Christians responded under Hitler, January 4, 2008

By 

Brian Griffith (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Nazi Persecution of the Churches (Paperback)

Conway has patiently compiled a detailed account of Europe's Christian churches under Nazi rule. He shows how Hitler used and abused Christianity for his agenda, and how he grew ever-more openly hostile to the churches. The book unblinkingly examines how and why so many Christians embraced or compromised with the Nazis. And it conveys the fear and humanity of those who risked everything for the sake of compassion -- more often the Catholics than Protestants, and most heroic of all, the Jehovah's Witnesses.

-author of Correcting Jesus