Lutherans Against Hitler: The Untold Story

For decades, Lutherans have been accused of a passivistic response to Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. In this careful analysis of original documents and the personal reflections of those involved in the church struggle under Hitler, Green seeks to set history straight. He identifies how Confessional Lutherans faced Nazi threats and survived to uphold the faith of Luther in the country of his birth. Green addresses both the successful statements against Hitler's regime, such as the Bethel Confession, and the divisive documents, such as the Barmen Declaration, that sundered any hope of a coordinated Lutheran, and indeed Christian, resistance to the Nazis. Readers also will discover the stories of courageous church leaders who prevented the Nazis from absorbing Lutheran Churches into the Reich Church.

About the Author:
Lowell C. Green is Adjunct Professor of History at State University of New York at Buffalo