Posted on 04/28/2007 2:30:05 PM PDT by fgoodwin
Your general point may be OK, however the Kaiser was never head of the Lutheran Church in Germany. The Evangelisch was (and is) a church funded by a “church tax” collected by the government, and hence the German government did, and still does to an extent have some control over and cooperation with the Lutheran church AND the Catholic church (1/2 of Germany is historically Roman Catholic) unimaginable to us in America.
Theological liberalism in the mainlines in America had more to do with the increasing popularity of evangelical and more radical Protestant groups than the fall of “barons” after WWI however. Your analysis sounds a bit like marxist class struggle than actual church history, in my opinion.
I wouldn’t call it a class struggle. My point is that the churches of Europe were tied rather tightly to the aristocracy. When that institution got its final heave-ho, many institutional churches went with it.
In the old world, the bishops (of whatever denomination) would provide counsel to the government (nobility) which would, in turn, enjoin Christian morality on the people. The commoners were simply expected to behave themselves and, if possible, attend church regularly. The bishops enjoyed special legal status and backing from the government, which, in turn, enjoyed religious sanction for its power. When the government was overthrown, the established church went with it because, too often, the established church did little if anything to reign in government abuses (think 1789).
In America, where there is not established church, religious leaders counsel the people who then enjoin Christian morality upon the government. This is why the abolitionist movement, civil rights movement, pro-life movement, etc. began in pulpits, took to the streets, and lastly entered Washington.
I'm kinda proud of that name, actually.
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