Churches and Religion in the Second World War
Author(s): Jan Bank, Lieve Gevers
Despite the wealth of historical literature on the Second World War, the subject of religion and churches in occupied Europe has been undervalued – until now. This critical European history is unique in delivering a rich and detailed analysis of churches and religion during the Second World War, looking at the Christian religions of occupied Europe: Catholicism, Lutheranism, Calvinism, and Orthodoxy.
The authors engage with key themes such as relations between religious institutions and the occupying forces; religion as a key factor in national identity and resistance; theological answers to the Fascist and National Socialist ideologies, especially in terms of the persecution of the Jews; Christians as bystanders or protectors in the Holocaust; and religious life during the war. Churches and Religion in the Second World War will be of great value to students and scholars of European history, the Second World War and religion and theology.
Review(s):
“Never before has a volume provided a synoptic narrative of church activities across the continent, from France to the Soviet Union, during the war years. With erudition and sensitivity, Bank and Gevers tell the stories of the many churches scattered across Europe, and how they mobilized the Christian message of peace, or failed to, in an era of total war.” – Journal of Modern History
ISBN: 9781845208226