Was Jesus a Nazi? During the Third Reich; German Protestant theologians; motivated by racism and tapping into traditional Christian anti-Semitism; redefined Jesus as an Aryan and Christianity as a religion at war with Judaism. In 1939; these theologians established the Institute for the Study and Eradication of Jewish Influence on German Religious Life. In The Aryan Jesus; Susannah Heschel shows that during the Third Reich; the Institute became the most important propaganda organ of German Protestantism; exerting a widespread influence and producing a nazified Christianity that placed anti-Semitism at its theological center. Based on years of archival research; The Aryan Jesus examines the membership and activities of this controversial theological organization. With headquarters in Eisenach; the Institute sponsored propaganda conferences throughout the Nazi Reich and published books defaming Judaism; including a dejudaized version of the New Testament and a catechism proclaiming Jesus as the savior of the Aryans. Institute members--professors of theology; bishops; and pastors--viewed their efforts as a vital support for Hitler's war against the Jews. Heschel looks in particular at Walter Grundmann; the Institute's director and a professor of the New Testament at the University of Jena. Grundmann and his colleagues formed a community of like-minded Nazi Christians who remained active and continued to support each other in Germany's postwar years. The Aryan Jesus raises vital questions about Christianity's recent past and the ambivalent place of Judaism in Christian thought.
#561352 in Books Princeton University Press 2009-10-11Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.10 x 1.30 x 6.10l; 1.65 #File Name: 0691135886560 pages
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Uncompromising clarity of the foundations and inspirations of IslamistsBy Kierkegaardian MessIslamism and the adherents to the ideology; so called "Islamists"; is concept that is currently breaking through esoteric usage and beginning to enter common parlance. What this book does; and beautifully at that; is introduce the reader to the political; theological; and philosophical foundations of the proponents of Islamism.The beginning part of the book explicates the contemporary arguments advocated by the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood; Hasan al-Banna; and follows that up with his disciple Sayyid Qutb. These communications have normally been limited to Arabic speaking audiences and the author has translated the original sources in such a manner that clearly and succinctly displays the passion; vigor; and rigor of the original ideology.Later in the book; issues such as the political context of Islam are debated; followed by gender issues in the Islamic context; then issues on fighting; and lastly violence. The last section is probably the one I have the least interest in; and this kind of subject matter in generally not pleasant to read. Some of the segments will be uncomfortable for some; and I would not consider this book a candidate for a "pleasure" read. Nonetheless; this is a valuable contribution to an important and relevant topic.I would assume that this book is not for the casual reader. It is a treasure of original sources translated into English and would be best utilized by those with a moderate background; and appreciation of; Islamic thought. I found the introductions in each of the segments to be invaluable and elucidating. While remaining short; they will walk the reader through the necessary historical background of the relevant author; and give you the requisite information needed to properly frame the proceeding material.Overall this book is a real gem to the researcher and scholar of Islamic thought; an invaluable reference for those of us who do not at present understand the Arabic language.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A wonderfully constructed examination of available Islamist discourseBy DylithI absolutely loved this book. It is primarily a collection of translated works written by influential Islamists. the book itself; and every section is introduced by the two editors of the book and is heavily sourced and footnoted and detailed in its analysis making the book an excellent reference resource. I only really had two "complaints": the first was that; despite its already considerable length; I would have liked it to be longer and more encompassing. The second is that I would love to see an updated edition now that Osama bin Laden has been killed and Zawahiri is at the helm of Al Qaeda. It would also be great to see works on Al-Baghdadi; and Muhammad Yusuf; as well as the new wave of internet Islamists. The book does much to showcase the differences in the roots of modern Islamist discourse relative to traditional Islamic practices and discourse; with a particular emphasis on the seemingly anti-scholar rhetoric that many Islamists have come to utilize and come to rely upon to justify their own lack of formal religious education.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Must ReadBy Jeff davisIn my mind; required reading in this day and age. Especially via reading Qutb and Al Banai it is clear that an influential number of thinkers believe:1.The west is morally corrupt2. It is time to move from defense militarily to offense militarily3. All man made institutions must be "destroyed" for Allah to rule.It is not an exaggeration to say: This is Mein Kampf for the present day. It is impossible to say we did not know; we did not hear. High time the Western World ceased behaving like ostriches.
