The "German Christians" tried to claim Luther for their purposes by emphasizing his Germanness and by declaring him to be the symbol of a German Christian. In 1933, Karl Barth opposed this attempt by interpreting Luther as a teacher of the Christian church and stressing Luther's importance for the whole Christian church, not simply the German church. However in 1939, after the beginning of the Second World War, Barth called Luther the greatest Christian German but also criticized him in referring to the historical consequences of some of his central doctrines. This criticism had become possible on the basis of Barth's theological development after 1935.

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Personen: Hüttenhoff, Michael

Schlagwörter: Kritik Luther Deutsche Christen

Interessenkreis: Religionswissenschaft