In the 1930s many German churches bowed down to Hitler while others refused. This latter group, led by Karl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer among others, was called the “Confessing Church” because it was based on a confession of faith in God, not allegiance to a human ruler. In 1934 the Confessing Church drafted the Barmen Declaration, a call to resistance against the theological claims of the Nazi state. What exactly was the Barmen Declaration and why was it important? Culture watchers today observe that in some countries the Church is facing a situation similar to that of the Church in Germany during the Nazi era. They argue that the Church can and should learn from the Barmen Declaration. Are they right? What can we discern from the Barmen Declaration as we face the challenges of today?

Subject: church history, politics

Steven Bouma-Prediger is a professor of religion at Hope College, where he has taught for over 30 years, and an adjunct professor at Western Theological Seminary. He is a graduate of Hope and has master’s degrees from the Institute for Christian Studies and Fuller Theological Seminary as well as a PhD from the University of Chicago. Bouma-Prediger has authored eight books and published over 100 articles.