The Barmen synod rejects the church's ideological capture
About this date: The synod met 29–31 May; the declaration belongs to its concluding proceedings.
Lutheran, Reformed, and United church representatives issue the Barmen Declaration against the theology and church government of the pro-Nazi German Christians.
Historical context
The declaration's six propositions insist that the Church's message and allegiance are determined by Jesus Christ rather than political ideology.
Key points
- The synod seeks a shared confession without abolishing denominational distinctions.
- It rejects treating the state as the total ordering power of human life.
- Its opposition concerns the Church's confession, order, and mission.
People
- Karl Barth
- Hans Asmussen
- Martin Niemöller
Sources and further reading
- The Barmen Declaration
Official English text of the declaration.