As an expert in the field of 20th-century religious history, I can provide a comprehensive answer to your question regarding the leadership of the Confessional Church, also known as the German Bekennende Kirche. The Confessional Church was a significant religious movement within the German Protestant churches that emerged during the 1930s as a response to the Nazi regime's efforts to control and manipulate religious institutions for its own propaganda and political purposes.

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The Confessional Church was not led by a single individual but was instead guided by a collective of theologians, pastors, and church leaders who were committed to upholding the traditional teachings and doctrines of Christianity against the Nazi regime's attempts to create a state-controlled church. The movement was characterized by its resistance to the "German Christian" movement, which sought to align the Protestant churches with Nazi ideology.

One of the most prominent figures associated with the Confessional Church was Martin Niemöller. A German pastor and theologian, Niemöller initially supported Hitler but later became one of the most outspoken critics of the Nazi regime. He was a founder of the Pastors' Emergency League (Pfarrernotbund), which was established in 1933 as a response to the German Christian movement's efforts to Nazify the church. The Pastors' Emergency League played a crucial role in the formation of the Confessional Church.

Another key figure was Karl Barth, a Swiss Reformed theologian whose influence on the Confessional Church was profound. Barth's theology emphasized the sovereignty of God and the importance of Scripture, which provided a strong foundation for the Confessional Church's resistance to the Nazi regime's attempts to redefine Christian doctrine.

The Confessional Church also had a strong organizational structure, with the Synod of the Confessional Church serving as its governing body. The Synod was responsible for maintaining the church's doctrinal purity and coordinating its resistance to the Nazi regime. It was led by a group of leaders, including Niemöller and Barth, who worked together to guide the church through the tumultuous times of the 1930s and 1940s.

The Confessional Church's resistance to the Nazi regime took many forms, including public declarations of opposition, the publication of theological works that countered Nazi ideology, and the provision of support to those who were persecuted by the regime. The church also played a significant role in the Kirchenkampf, or "Church Struggle," which was a broader movement within the German Protestant churches to resist Nazi control.

Despite facing significant persecution, including the imprisonment of many of its leaders, the Confessional Church remained a symbol of religious and moral resistance to the Nazi regime. Its legacy continues to be an important part of the history of the German Protestant churches and serves as a reminder of the power of faith and conviction in the face of tyranny.

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Confessing Church, German Bekennende Kirche, movement for revival within the German Protestant churches that developed during the 1930s from their resistance to Adolf Hitler's attempt to make the churches an instrument of National Socialist (Nazi) propaganda and politics.read more >>