Preaching to Nazi Germany
The Pulpit and the Confessing Church
Abstract
Preaching to Nazi Germany explores the history of Confessing Church preachers' engagement with the Nazi regime through an analysis of their sermons. William Skiles argues that clergy expressed various messages that aimed to limit Nazi interference in church affairs and at times even to undermine the Nazi state and its leaders and policies. Skiles demonstrates that pastors had limited freedom to publicly criticize the Nazi regime, its leaders, and its ideology, and that pastors often used Christian symbols to code their criticisms to remain inconspicuous to the Gestapo or Nazi informants. This book demonstrates how pastors used a sacred text and applied it to the problems of the churches in Nazi Germany.
Schlagworte
history of homiletics martin niemoeller church struggle nazi germany nazi regime confessing church confessing church preachers- 1–26 Introduction 1–26
- 27–62 The Church Divided 27–62
- 235–254 Spying in God’s House 235–254
- 255–260 Conclusion 255–260
- 261–284 Selected Bibliography 261–284
- 285–294 Index 285–294
- 295–296 About the Author 295–296