Barmen, Synod of

Barmen, Synod of
Meeting of German Protestant leaders at Barmen in May 1934 to organize Protestant resistance to Nazism.

Representatives came from Lutheran, Reformed, and United churches. Some church leaders had already chosen to limit their efforts to passive resistance, and others had been co-opted by the Nazi regime. The Pastors' Emergency League, headed by Martin Niemoller, was the backbone of active resistance. The Synod was of major importance in the founding of the Confessing Church by Karl Barth and others.

* * *

▪ German history
      meeting of German Protestant leaders at Barmen in the Ruhr, in May 1934, to organize Protestant opposition to the teachings of the so-called German Christians (German Christian), who sought to reinterpret Christianity as an Aryan religion free from all Jewish influences. The German Christians were subtly supported by the Nazi government so that opposition to them could be understood as opposition to the government. The synod was of decisive importance in the development of the German Confessing Church (Bekennende Kirche). Representatives came from established Lutheran, Reformed, and United churches, although some of the church governments had already been captured by German Christians, and others had decided to limit their activities to passive resistance. The Pastors' Emergency League (Pfarrernotbund), headed by Martin Niemöller (Niemöller, Martin), was the backbone of the active opposition to the “heresy” of the German Christians. Various lay leaders and groups also rallied to the cause.

      At Barmen the representatives adopted six articles, called the Theological Declaration of Barmen, or the Barmen Declaration, that defined the Christian opposition to any interpretation of Christianity based on racial theories. The major theological influence was that of Karl Barth (Barth, Karl). The declaration was cast in the classical form of the great confessions of faith, affirming major biblical teachings and condemning those who were attempting to accommodate Christianity to National Socialism. It is treated as a confession by some denominations.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • synod — synodal, adj. /sin euhd/, n. 1. an assembly of ecclesiastics or other church delegates, convoked pursuant to the law of the church, for the discussion and decision of ecclesiastical affairs; ecclesiastical council. 2. any council. [1350 1400; ME… …   Universalium

  • Barmen — is a municipal subdivision of the German city of Wuppertal. Formerly an independent town, Barmen joined the newly incorporated city of Wuppertal in January 1930. The asteroid 118173 Barmen is named in its honour, celebrating the 1934 Synod which… …   Wikipedia

  • Barmen Declaration —    Following Hitler s rise to power in Germany in 1933, the Nazi Party put pressure on German Protestants to restate their faith in a manner that would ideologically support Nazi claims. A Faith movement arose within these churches (Lutheran,… …   Encyclopedia of Protestantism

  • Lutheranism — See Lutheran. * * * Protestant movement founded on the principles of Martin Luther. Lutheranism arose at the start of the Reformation, after Luther posted his Ninety five Theses in Wittenberg. It spread through much of Germany and into… …   Universalium

  • Reformed and Presbyterian churches — ▪ Christianity Introduction       name given to various Protestant churches that share a common origin in the Reformation in 16th century Switzerland. Reformed is the term identifying churches regarded as essentially Calvinistic in doctrine. The… …   Universalium

  • Confessing Church — German Bekennende Kirche Movement for revival within the German Protestant churches that developed in the 1930s in resistance to Adolf Hitler s attempt to make the churches an instrument of Nazi propaganda and politics. The Confessing Church,… …   Universalium

  • Christology — Christological /kris tl oj i keuhl/, adj. Christologist, n. /kri stol euh jee/, n., pl. Christologies for 2. 1. the branch of theology dealing with the nature, person, and deeds of Jesus Christ. 2. an interpretation of the nature, person, and… …   Universalium

  • council — /kown seuhl/, n. 1. an assembly of persons summoned or convened for consultation, deliberation, or advice. 2. a body of persons specially designated or selected to act in an advisory, administrative, or legislative capacity: the governor s… …   Universalium

  • Barth, Karl — born May 10, 1886, Basel, Switz. died Dec. 9/10, 1968, Basel Swiss theologian. He studied at the Universities of Berlin, Tübingen, and Marburg, and in 1911–21 he was a pastor at Safenwil, Switz. The tragedy of World War I made him question the… …   Universalium

  • Lutheran Church of China — [ right|thumb|The seal of Martin Luther. Also used as the logo for the LCC] The Lutheran Church of China or LCC (Traditional Chinese: 中華信義會; Pinyin: Zhonghua Xinyi Hui) was a Lutheran church body in China from 1920 to 1951. It was established as… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”