The 80th anniversary of a courageous stand by Christians in Germany who opposed Adolf Hitler also marks a sad chapter in Baptist history that festered four decades before Baptists voiced repentance.
In contrast to Christians who resisted Nazi evils, German Baptists "were just happy to be left alone, you might say," historian Albert Wardin told Baptist Press. "And they were just happy to have the regime allow them to preach the Gospel within their churches. And so the German Baptists were not going to take any position that would counter any of the positions of the Hitler regime."
Meanwhile, a diverse conglomeration of Christians from several denominations -- called the "Confessing Church" -- issued what came to be known as the Barmen Declaration, a 1934 document stating that Jesus, not Hitler, was Lord of the church and condemning false doctrines espoused by the Nazi-controlled state church....
