More on German Christians of 1939

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Throughout 1939, Bonhoeffer came further into the circle of conspirators connected with his brother-in-law Christoph von Dohnanyi. "Until then he [Bonhoeffer] had eagerly looked for people who could summon the courage to say "no" in public, and were willing to accept dismissal from their post as a consequence. Now the period began when it was of utmost importance that people of character remained at the controls at all costs, and did not let themselves be pushed out ... If there was to be a conspiracy, then they had to enter the lion's den and gain a foothold there."

There were various questions pulling at Bonhoeffer during this year. First, there was the conspiracy; then there was his continued involvement in the confession church or we might say the German church struggles; then his less and less involvement in the ecumenical movement; and finally there was the question of war and conscripted service.

The church struggle came to to fore again when on April 4, 1939, the German Evangelical Church published the Godesberg declaration signed by Dr. Werner. It stated:
[National Socialism continues] the work of Martin Luther on the idealogical and political side [and thus helps], in its religious aspect, the recovery of a true understanding of Christian faith ... The Christian faith is the unbridgeable religious opposite of Judaism ... Supra-national and international church structure of a Roman Catholic or world-Protestant character is a political degeneration of Christianity. A fruitful development of genuine Christian faith is possible only within the given orders of creation.
It went on to announce the establishment of an "Institute for Investigating and Eliminating Jewish Influence on the Church Life of the German People." This is very scary stuff, especially as we are reading it with historical hindsight. The church married to the state can be a deadly and devilish thing.

Later that month, for Hitler's birthday, Dr. Werner wrote in the church journal:
[We celebrate] with jubilation our Fuhrer's fiftieth birthday. In him God has given the German people a real miracle worker... Let our thanks be the resolute and inflexible will not to disappoint... our Fuhrer and the great historic hour.
More to follow...


 

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