False Religion, the Barmen Declaration, and the Church's Soul (Gregg Quiggle)
In this episode of Thinking Christian, I’m joined by Dr. Greg Quiggle for a deep dive into one of the most important yet often overlooked documents of the 20th century—the Barmen Declaration. Against the backdrop of Germany’s post-World War I collapse, the rise of Hitler, and the church’s alarming compromise with Nazi ideology, we explore how a handful of theologians like Karl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer fought to preserve the true identity of the church.
Together, we unpack how civil religion, political loyalty, and theological drift threatened the witness of German Christians—and what Barmen still has to teach us today as Christians navigating nationalism, politics, and cultural pressure.
We don’t shy away from controversy. Drawing connections between the German church’s failures and modern American challenges, we wrestle with uncomfortable questions about allegiance, national identity, and the dangers of putting our faith in human institutions.
If you’ve ever wondered how the church can stand faithfully in turbulent times—or how subtle compromises can erode Christian witness—this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.
Go deeper: The Reformation
Thinking Christian is hosted by Dr. James Spencer, president of the D. L. Moody Center and author of Digital Discernment (InterVarsity Press). Each conversation reads the Bible as the final authority for life and faith, questioning the assumptions of our culture, even our Christian culture, so that we don't settle for a narrower vision than God's word offers.
Unsettling convention. Cultivating conviction.
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In addition to being a regular contributor to Christianity.com and Washingtontimes.com, James has published multiple works, including Christian Resistance: Learnign to Defy the World and Follow Christ, Useful to God: Eight Lessons from the Life of D.L. Moody, Thinking Christian: Essays on Testimony, Accountability, and the Christian Mind, and Trajectories: A Gospel-Centered Introduction to Old Testament Theology.
James currently serves as president of the D. L. Moody Center, an adjunct instructor at Wheaton College Graduate School, and faculty member at Right On Mission.
You can find out more about James at his personal website www.jamesspencer.com.
