The Barmen Declaration Turns 90
As we mark the anniversary of a powerful confessional statement, this issue of A Public Witness considers how it still speaks to us today with a deep theological assessment of the dangers of uniting church and state.
In Church Remains, German Archaeologists Discover the Truth of ‘Atlantis of the North Sea’
After a century, a legendary North Frisian city that has lived in church sermons, chronicles, and art across the region for six centuries has been found.
Review & Giveaway: Sympathy, Solidarity, & Silence
Historian and former denominational executive Lee Spitzer spent years researching for his new book Sympathy, Solidarity, and Silence: Three European Baptist Responses to the Holocaust. The book tells inspiring and disappointing stories of how Baptists in England, France, and Germany reacted to Hitler, the Holocaust,
German Churches Save on Heat, Still Help the Needy Warm Up
Churches have joined in Germany’s efforts to save on heating costs this winter, forcing their congregations into ever more layers of clothing. But at the same time, they are providing warm spaces for the homeless and for people who are struggling to pay their bills.
Sober or Bright? Europe Faces Holidays During Energy Crunch
In cities across Europe, officials are wrestling with a choice as energy prices have gone up because of Russia’s war in Ukraine: Dim Christmas lighting to send a message of energy conservation and solidarity or let the lights blaze in a message of defiance after two years of pandemic-suppressed
Lee Spitzer on Sympathy, Solidarity, and Silence
Lee Spitzer, historian for the Baptist World Alliance and affiliate professor of church history at Northern Seminary in Chicago, talks about his new book Sympathy, Solidarity, and Silence: Three Europeans Baptist Responses to the Holocaust.
In Eastern Germany, Pastors Push for Shots Despite Protests
Saxony state in eastern Germany has the lowest vaccination rate among Germany’s 16 federal states, and one of the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases. So, Lutheran pastors across Saxony have used their sermons to promote vaccines as the most efficient way to prevent severe illness
Archbishop Says Berlin Wall was a Good Friday in German History
Catholics and Protestants gathered Aug. 13 to remember the day in 1961 when their city was divided, becoming a symbol of the Cold War. Read full piece
German Legislators Consider Ending State Payments to Churches
Germany’s lower house of Parliament is considering replacing state payments to the nation’s two largest churches. The Catholic and Protestant churches received combined state benefits of more than $650 million in 2020. Read full piece
German Churches Reckon with Antisemitic History
A government report raises concerns that Nazi theology may not be a thing of the past. Read full piece
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