The Legacy of the Barmen Declaration: Politics and the Kingdom

(Hardback)

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In 1934, during the Nazi regime in Germany, members of the Confessing Church issued the Declaration of Barmen, which reaffirmed their primary loyalty to the word of God. With their action, they established a legacy for future generations to follow in similar situations.This volume examines the historical, political, and theological context of the creation of the Barmen Declaration, as it constituted an act of theological and political resistance against tyranny, terror, and fascism. The work of the Barmen Declaration demonstrated clearly and powerfully the "this-worldly" ethical and political salience of religion and theology to empower witness, resistance, and solidarity. Containing contributions from an inclusive array of renowned scholars, the volume unfolds the lasting legacy and continued relevance of Barmen.

Reviews

As a rule Christians seldom know they are in trouble until it is too late to know the trouble they are in. That is why it is so important we have this book on the process that led Christians in Germany to the Barmen Declaration. From Barmen we learn how to discern pathologies that can only be diagnosed from a Christological perspective. This is a book we have long needed because it helps us see how difficult the process was that resulted in this extraordinary text. May it help us see where we are today. -- Stanley Hauerwas, Duke University Divinity School

Author Bio

Fred Dallmayr is professor emeritus of University of Notre Dame and is member of the board of the Dialogue of Civilizations-Research Institute in Berlin.