Christians and Nazism - A Biblical View

     The Bible is clear that a Christian must be subject to “the governing authorities” (Rom 13:1), but what does that really mean? Throughout history, some governments have made it hard for Christians to sincerely obey biblical principles alongside with their civil law. How is a religious group to respond to its government in a scenario like Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy? Different religious groups have split over the issue, some choosing to support their government, others to actively oppose it, while some groups choosing to remain silent and out of the political scene. After studying the different views, we will see which view is the most biblical.

 
     Two famous passages quoted from the Bible to study the relationship between a Christian and his government are Romans 13:1, and Jesus' famous words found in all three synoptic gospels: “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”¹ Romans 13 has been used by governments to convince Christians that they need to obey them, for their authority was given to them by God, thus, disobeying them would be disobeying God, and “not Christian.” Taken out of its context they quote: “whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” In the passage found in Matthew 22, Mark 12 and Luke 20, where Jesus is questioned whether it is right to pay taxes to Caesar, we can see that if Jesus was ever going to tell his disciples to actively oppose the government, this was a great opportunity to do it. This passage is then used to back up Romans 13, they argue that a Christian must submit to the authorities, and add that even Jesus said so. Other passages used to argue that Christians need to support their government are Titus 1:2-3, and 1 Peter 2:13-17.²

    
     The problem with the verses quoted to encourage Christians to support their government no matter what, is that there can be a tension between the civil law, and God's law. Dietrich Bonhoeffer argues that when there is conflict between God and the government, a Christian's “duty of obedience is binding on him until government directly compels him to offend against the divine commandment”. This idea is found in Acts 5, when the commandments of men clashed with those of God, Peter and the apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” Bonhoeffer also argues that the passages about Christians needing to submit to the authorities like Romans 13 and Titus 3, are seen as a command that will lead them to do what is good. Governments possess a clear role, they are to serve God by executing justice in the land. As soon as a government no longer fulfills his God appointed task, a Christian cannot sincerely obey its laws for they will cause him to sin.³ When Christians realize they cannot obey their government with good conscience, there are two possibilities, either they try to live out their faith quietly, trying to remain at peace with everyone, or they actively oppose the government. The Bible is full of verses calling Christians to seek peace with everyone, some groups who seek pacifism “have made the duty of every single man who calls himself “Christian” in all seriousness to take the most frightful punishment upon himself rather than go to war.” Passages such as “Though shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13), or “But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:39), and “Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.”” (Matthew 26: 52) are used⁴. Can those who decide to remain silent under an oppressive government, and out of their way claim to be doing God's will, when we have other passages in the Bible encouraging Christians to act when they are in the presence of the oppressed. An important verse that encouraged the small Party of the Confessing Christians in Nazi Germany, to oppose their government was the following “He that is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40).⁵ Those who choose to be active in their opposition of the government, believe that in being passive Christians are approving the government, while keeping their hands clean. They feel they have an obligation to help the poor, relying on passages like Proverbs 31:8-9, “8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”⁶ In his letter to the Galatians (4:29), Paul says that the same way Jesus suffered and died for us, we should be willing to suffer for others, and again in Matthew 25: 31-46, Jesus is glorified in our outreach, when we help others.⁷ Some people go further saying that under circumstances like those of the Third Reich, “not plotting Hitler's death, would be irresponsible action.”⁸

  
     To conclude, the Bible gives us many passages about how to live Godly lives. A theme that often comes back throughout the Bible is peace, which is part of the fruit of the spirit. Paul writes, that as much as it depends on us, we must live at peace with everyone (Rom. 12:18). We must love our enemies (Mat. 5:43), but we must also hate evil ( Rom. 12:9), and be imitators of God (Eph. 5:1). Living by God's word is impossible to do by Christian groups who think God wants them to support their government in Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy. Christians are not of this world (John 17:16), and should not identify with it (2 Tim 2:4, 1 John 2:15), biblically, Christians are called to action, to fight for the rights of the helpless and speak up for those who don't have a voice, and to look after those who cannot look after themselves (Mat. 25; Prov.31; Jas.1). Jesus said that he kept his followers in the world so that through the way they act in unity and their words, more people will come to know the saving grace of Jesus Christ (John 17:20-21), which can be done effectively while actively opposing an evil government.

1 D.A. Carson, Christ and Culture Revisited (Grand Rapids, MI.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008), 159.

2 James I.H. McDonald, “Romans 13:1-7 and Christian social ethics today”, Modern Churchman ns29 no 2 (1987), http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=3e31f3a3-ea18-48d8-b4a0-f9992ac2f8fb%40sessionmgr15&vid=3&hid=23 (accessed May 3^rd, 2013),

3 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Ethics, ed. Eberhard Bethge (NY: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1961), 307.

4 Larry L. Rasmussen, Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Reality and Resistance (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1972), 96

5 Rasmussen, Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Reality and Resistance, 34

6 Rasmussen, Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Reality and Resistance, 37

7 Rasmussen, Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Reality and Resistance, 40

8 Rasmussen, Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Reality and Resistance, 51