Martin Luther, German baviour German Evangelical Theological Factions and the Interpretation of Luther, 1917-1933 The Protestant ruling classes of the pre-First World War German Em- pire took for granted that Martin Luther was the greatest of all Ger- man men. In the early twentieth century, however, Luther came under attack from Catholics, liberals, and socialists, groups who be- came the governing coalition of the Weimar Republic after Ger- many's defeat in the First World War. Protestant conservatives struggled to win back power in the Weimar years - and one object of their battle was to restore the veneration of Martin Luther. Theological trend-setters after the war were dogmatic or systematic theologians. Whether men of the right like Karl Roll or men of the left like Karl Barth, they wanted to return to Luther's fundamental Refor- mation theology and to justification through faith alone. In the mid- 19208, however, Barth saw the dangers of Lutheran theocentrism wedded to German nationalism and moved towards a more Re- formed Christology and a greater critical distance from Luther. The other six major Weimar-era theologians discussed - Karl Roll, Friedrich Gogarten, Werner Elert, Paul Althaus, Emanuel Hirsch, and Erich Vogelsang - connected their theology to their Luther studies and to their hopes for the rebirth of Germany after the humiliation of the Versailles order. To differing degrees, they presented Martin Luther as the German saviour, and all except Karl Roll, who died in 1926, worked out specifically theological reasons for supporting Hitler when he came to power in 1933. JAMES M. STAYER is professor of history at Queen's University. MCGILL-QUEEN s STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF RELIGION Volumes in the McGill-Queen's Studies in the History of Religion have been supported by the Jackman Foundation of Toronto. SERIES TWO In memory of George Rawlyk Donald Harman Akenson, Editor Marguerite Bourgeoys and Good Citizens Montreal, 1640-1665 British Missionaries and Patricia Simpson Imperial States, 1870-1918 James G. Greenlee and Charles M. Aspects of the Canadian Johnston, editors Evangelical Experience Edited by G.A. Rawlyk The Theology of the Oral Torah Revealing the Justice of God Infinity, Faith, and Time Jacob Neusner Christian Humanism and Renaissance Literature Gentle Eminence John Spencer Hill A Life of Cardinal Flahiff P. Wallace Plait The Contribution of Presbyterianism to the Culture, Religion, and Maritime Provinces of Canada Demographic Behaviour Charles H.H. Scobie and Catholics and Lutherans G.A. Rawlyk, editors in Alsace, 1750-1870 Kevin McQuillan Labour, Love, and Prayer Female Piety in Ulster Between Damnation Religious Literature, 1850-1914 and Starvation: Priests and Andrea Ezel Brozyna Merchants in Newfoundland Politics, 1745-1855 Religion and Nationality in John P. Greene Western Ukraine The Greek Catholic Church and Martin Luther, German the Ruthenian National Saviour: German Evangelical Movement in Galicia, Theological Factions and 1867-1900 the Interpretation of Luther, John-Paul Himka 1917-1933 James M. Stayer The Waning of the Green Catholics, the Irish, and Identity in Toronto, 1887-1922 Mark G. McGowan SERIES ONE G.A. Rawlyk, Editor 1 Small Differences 8 Serving the Present Age Irish Catholics and Irish Revivalism, Progressivism, and Protestants, 1815-1922 the Methodist Tradition in An International Perspective Canada Donald Harman Akenson Phyllis D. Airhart 2 Two Worlds 9 A Sensitive Independence The Protestant Culture of Canadian Methodist Women Nineteenth-Century Ontario Missionaries in Canada and the William Westfall Orient, 1881-1925 Rosemary R. Gagan 3 An Evangelical Mind Nathanael Burwash and the 10 God's Peoples Methodist Tradition in Canada, Covenant and Land in South 1839-1918 Africa, Israel, and Ulster Marguerite Van Die Donald Harman Akenson 4 The Devotes 11 Creed and Culture Women and Church in The Place of English-Speaking Seventeenth-Century France Catholics in Canadian Society, Elizabeth Rapley 1750-1930 Terrence Murphy and 5 The Evangelical Century Gerald Stortz, editors College and Creed in English Canada from the Great Revival 12 Piety and Nationalism to the Great Depression Lay Voluntary Associations Michael Gauvreau and the Creation of an Irish- Catholic Community in 6 The German Peasants' War and Toronto, 1850-1895 Anabaptist Community of Brian P. Clarke Goods James M. Stayer 13 Amazing Grace Studies in Evangelicalism in 7 A World Mission Australia, Britain, Canada, and Canadian Protestantism and the United States the Quest for a New George Rawlyk and Mark A. International Order, 1918-1939 Noll, editors Robert Wright 14 Children of Peace 21 The Lord's Dominion W. John Mclntyre The History of Canadian Methodism 15 A Solitary Pillar Neil Semple Montreal's Anglican Church and the Quiet Revolution 22 A Full-Orbed Christianity Joan Marshall The Protestant Churches and Social Welfare in Canada, 16 Padres in No Man's Land 1900-1940 Canadian Chaplains and the Nancy Christie and Great War Michael Gauvreau Duff Crerar 23 Evangelism and Apostasy 17 Christian Ethics and Political The Evolution and Impact of Economy in North America Evangelicals in Modern Mexico A Critical Analysis of U.S. and Kurt Bowen Canadian Approaches P. Travis Kroeker 24 The Chignecto Covenanters A Regional History of 18 Pilgrims in Lotus Land Reformed Presbyterianism in Conservative Protestantism in New Brunswick and Nova British Columbia, 1917-1981 Scotia, 1827 to 1905 Robert K. Burkinshaw Eldon Hay 19 Through Sunshine and Shadow 25 Methodists and Women's The Woman's Christian Education in Ontario, Temperance Union, 1836-1925 Evangelicalism, and Reform in Johanna M. Selles Ontario, 1874-1930 Sharon Cook 26 Puritanism and Historical Controversy 20 Church, College, and Clergy William Lamont A History of Theological Education at Knox College, Toronto, 1844-1994 Brian J. Eraser Martin Luther, German Saviour German Evangelical Theological Factions and the Interpretation of Luther, 1917-1933 JAMES M. STAYER McGill-Queen's University Press Montreal & Kingston • London • Ithaca © McGill-Queen's University Press 2000 ISBN 0-7735-2044-9 Legal deposit second quarter 2000 Bibliotheque nationale du Quebec Printed in Canada on acid-free paper This book has been published with the help of a grant from the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada, using funds provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. McGill-Queen's University Press acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) for its activities. We also acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts for our publishing program. Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Stayer, James M. Martin Luther, German saviour: German evangelical theological factions and the interpretation of Luther, 1917-1933 Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7735-2044-9 i. Luther, Martin, 1483-1546. 2. Theology, Doctrinal - Germany - History - 2Oth century. 3. Evangelicalism - Germany - History - 20th century. I. Title. 8x8065.2.583 2000 23o'-4i43'o9O4i 099-901193-6 This book was typeset by Typo Litho Composition Inc. in 10/12 Palatino. To Hans-Jurgen Goertz and Werner O. Packull This page intentionally left blank Contents Preface xi Acknowledgments xv 1 Luther Scholarship before the Great War 3 2 Karl Holl and the Origin of the Luther Renaissance 18 3 The Dialectical Theology and Luther Studies 48 4 The Confessional Lutherans at Erlangen 79 5 The Luther Renaissance in Transition: Emanuel Hirsch and Erich Vogelsang 96 Conclusion 118 Epilogue: The German Year 1933 and Afterward 125 Notes 137 Bibliography 161 Index 171