Lessons From the Adventist Church in Nazi Germany

[CGMedley]

On the evening of November 9, 1938, Nazi-inspired German youths destroyed and vandalized Jewish property, killing and injuring many while police and populace quietly looked the other way. Seventy years later questions linger—questions not only for the German people as a whole, but also for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Read more.

http://www.adventistreview.com/issue.php?issue=2011-1521&page=6

[teresaq]

Excellent points, tho I am so ashamed of our behavior whether I was a part of it then or not.

Did our members in Germany and other countries do the same as reported here regarding 1914 and the split-not offshoot-of the SDA church?

Quote:

As this position of total obedience to the commandments of God was not practiced during World War I (1914-1918), a great crisis came upon the Seventh-day Adventist Church. While 98% of the members decided to obey the instruction of the officers of the denomination, taking part in the war, 2% decided to remain faithful to the law of God, upholding the original position, as taught and practiced up to that time. These faithful believers were disfellowshipped from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Europe because they chose to uphold the church's original position in regard to keeping the Law of God (all Ten Commandments).

In a booklet published by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Germany, they announced the following change:

"In all that we have said we have shown that the Bible teaches, firstly, that taking part in the war is no transgression of the sixth commandment, likewise, that war service on the Sabbath is not a transgression of the fourth commandment."

Protokoll, p.12.

In the Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, Commentary Reference Series, the following explanation is given:

"On the German mobilization, in August, 1914, the SDA's of that country were faced with the necessity of making an immediate decision concerning their duty to God and country when called into the armed service (see Germany, V; Noncombatancy). After counseling with the few SDA leaders locally available at that time, the president of the East German Union Conference informed the German War Ministry in writing, dated Aug. 4, 1914, that conscripted SDA's would bear arms as combatants and would render service on the Sabbath in defense of their country. . . . Admittedly, the three SDA leaders in Germany took a stand concerning the duty of SDA's in military service that was contrary to the historic stand officially maintained by the denomination ever since the American Civil War (1861-1865)."

The Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, Commentary Reference Series, Vol. 10, p. 1183, Edition of 1966.

The Adventist leaders declared:

"At the beginning of the war our organization was split into two parties. As ninety-eight percent of our membership, by searching the Bible, came to the conviction that they are duty-bound, by conscience, to defend the country with weapons, also on Saturdays, this position, unanimously endorsed by the leadership, was immediately announced to the War Ministry. Two percent, however, did not submit to this resolution, and therefore had to be disfellowshipped because of their unchristian conduct. These unprofitable elements set themselves up as preachers and, with little results, sought to make converts to their propaganda of foolish ideas. They call themselves, falsely, preachers and Adventists. They are not; they are deceivers. When such elements receive their merited punishment, we regard it, in fact, as a favor done to us."

Dresdener Neueste Nachrichten (A German newspaper), p. 3, April 12, 1918.

A newspaper correspondent gave his unbiased opinion about the situation, as follows:

"Since the beginning of the war there has been a division among the Adventist people. During the period of the war, the majority wanted to see the fundamental teachings set aside, by force if necessary. The others asked that the sanctification of Saturday (Sabbath) be allowed them, even in these times of stress. The opposing faction finally brought about the disfellowshipment from the organization of the followers of the original principles of faith."

Koelnische Zeitung (Evening Edition) September 21, 1915.

In the same year, SDA leaders made another declaration, as follows:

"In the beginning of the war there were some members, as there are also in other places, who did not want to take part in war service, either because of their lack of unity, or because of fanaticism. They started to spread around their foolish ideas in the congregation by word and in writing, trying to convince others to do the same. They were admonished by the church, but because of their obstinacy they had to be put out, for they became a threat to internal and external peace."

Stuttgarter Neues Tagblatt, September 26, 1918.

It reminds me of the reasoning of the Maccabbees.

[John317]

As the SDA Reform Movement reminds people, the SDAs in Germany had similar problems in WWI. Some German SDAs were actually executed rather than fight in that war, and many others served prison terms. Yet they were disfellowshipped for not following the directions of the SDA leadership at that time.

How many of us would be willing to go to prison or be killed rather than sin against God?

That is what it really boils down to?

Do we really think it would be any different today than it was in WWII? I doubt it.

Reminds me of what happened in the USSR when Soviet soldiers went to a church and demanded to know who the Christians were. The pastor and most of the members scattered. Then, when they were gone, the soliders said to the few who were still left, "Now we can have church."

[Gerr]

So, what is the current status of the SDA church in Germany? Is it still divided? Has there been a reconciliation? And what is the German SDA church's current stand on war? Has it embraced the official GC stand?

[teresaq]

The SDARM and "regular" church have not been able to reconcile for reasons depending on which one reads, and which one chooses to believe.