Twisted cross

Book Description

In Twisted Cross, historian Doris Bergen examines a troubling chapter in Christian history that offers profound lessons for spiritual seekers today. This meticulously researched work explores how 600,000 German Christians during the Nazi era attempted to reshape their faith by removing all Jewish influences from Christianity.

Bergen reveals how this Protestant movement went to extraordinary lengths to align their beliefs with Nazi ideology, rejecting the Old Testament, excluding those deemed non-Aryan from their congregations, and even denying Jesus's Jewish heritage. They systematically purged Hebrew elements from their worship, including words like "Hallelujah" from their hymns.

Rather than dismissing these individuals as extremists, Bergen demonstrates that German Christians held significant positions within mainstream Protestant churches, even after Nazi leadership rejected their agenda. Her analysis extends beyond the war years, showing how these same individuals were quietly reintegrated into church communities after 1945.

The book illuminates the complex role of women within this movement and their promotion of "spiritual motherhood" ideology, even as the group championed a more "masculine" version of Christianity.

For those seeking to understand how spiritual communities can be corrupted by political ideology, Twisted Cross provides essential insights into the dangers of compromising core religious principles. Bergen's work serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of maintaining spiritual integrity in the face of societal pressures.