The Grey Book: A collection of protests against anti-semitism and the persecution of Jews issued by non-Roman Catholic churches and church leaders during Hitlers ruleSnoek, Johan M.
Religion
The Grey Book: A collection of protests against anti-semitism and the persecution of Jews issued by non-Roman Catholic churches and church leaders during Hitlers rule
Snoek, Johan M.
Antisemitism; Christianity and other religions -- Judaism; Judaism -- Relations -- Christianity; Protestant churches -- Europe
attacked by the German Church management: with external means of power, the
secret state police, removals from office and suspensions.
We, Evangelical Christians of a kindred people, have seen with grief and concern
that the German Church management through such activities has tarnished the
Christian name. With the deepest sympathy we follow the oppressed Christians'
brave and joyfully self-sacrificing struggle, in defence of Evangelical
Christianity, not only in Germany but also the world over." [160]
<61>
The Resolution contains points that to-day are obvious to us, but in those days
they undoubtedly enlightened many ignorant people.
Much that has been said by the Lutheran Church leaders of Sweden, already in
the first years of Hitler's regime, shows a deep theological insight into the
nature of anti-Semitism. Few Churches in other lands showed this insight at so
early a date. This fact should prevent us from over-simplifying the answers to
the question, as to how far certain of Luther's views about the Jewish people
influenced the Lutheran Churches in the twentieth century.
* * *
The following statement, signed by Erling Eidem, Archbishop of Uppsala, and
25 other Church leaders was issued by the Swedish Ecumenical Council, in
autumn 1938:
"A storm of violence and cruelty goes through the world. The Jewish people are
severely hit by this. Their horrible fate must awake in Christian minds strong
indignation, as well as deep sympathy for the victims. To belong to the Jewish
race is becoming equivalent to being stateless within that portion of humanity
which calls itself Christian. This brings shame upon the Christian name.
Anti-Semitic Propaganda in Sweden
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account