2 Timothy
3:1-2 ‘But mark this: There will
be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves,
lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their
parents, ungrateful, unholy…’ (NIV)
At the end of May in 1934, a group of
Lutheran, Reformed, and United church pastors in the town of Barmen, Germany,
gathered together to write a declaration against the prevailing ecclesiastical
and political culture that was eroding the Christian Church and the German
nation. They bravely spoke out against an increase in fascism which was the outcome
of years of decadence and economic disparity. The Church, which should have been
neutral in order to confront any form of evil, had sold its soul to the emerging
Nazi party. The frenzy of nationalism that Hitler successfully manipulated and stoked,
penetrated and influenced the congregations of Germany. A disastrous syncretism
took place where the Evangelical Church became the sycophantic mouthpiece of an evil which would tragically bring
about a Second World War. The pastors in Barmen totally understood what was
going on in their country, so they prophetically spoke out against their own
church, in a brave effort to make their people understand that Fascism and
Faith were not compatible in any shape or form.
Their courageous declaration cost many of them their
pastoral positions and lives. Some were hounded out of their towns; others were
arrested by the Gestapo; some were imprisoned, tortured,
and eventually executed. Despite this persecution, they continued to
speak out against the Church allying itself to Nazism. At the end of the war,
those who survived were recognized for their persistence in presenting the
truth, and for upholding the faith in a difficult and devastating time for German
Christians.
Since then, different denominations throughout the world
have adopted the Barmen Declaration into their approved list of historic
Confessional creeds. They have done this to honor those Christian pastors and
people who stood against fascism. The Declaration is also respected as a living
document to remind Christians everywhere that aligning our faith with an
unfettered nationalism can have disastrous consequences for the church, for the
nation, and possibly even the entire world. In difficult times, the Church has
to make difficult choices, but all of those decisions need to be based upon the
character, teaching, and ministry of Jesus Christ, otherwise, as a people and religious
institution we can be easily led astray by charming demagogues and charismatic dictators.
Questions
for personal reflection
How is my faith affected by current circumstances? In
difficult times, where do I find God’s truth?
Prayer: Lord
Jesus, we pray for the gift of discernment to enable us to see these times for
what they are and to make the right choices in our lives. Thank You for the courage
of those Christians in the past and present, who have maintained their
allegiance to You, in order to keep us true to our faith in You. In Your Holy
Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in
Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask questions or make comments about
today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.
Today’s image is taken
from the PCUSA’s Book of Confessions. It is a church banner commemorating the
Barmen Declaration. The Nazi Swastika is crossed out and the Christian Cross is
rising above the flames of persecution. It is symbolic of rising against tyranny,
as well as overcoming unjust persecution and war. If you would like to see more
of the PCUSA’s confessional banners, please visit this link: PCUSA
Banners.
