Brotherhood of Pastors: Against German Christians


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An important ecclesio-political organization within the regional church, the Bavarian Brotherhood of Pastors was founded on May 21-22, 1934 in Rummelsberg. It was intended to repulse the German Christians’ heresy, unite pastors in solidarity and support parishioners faithful to the confessions. It sided with regional bishop Hans Meiser (1881-1956) in the struggle against the forcible incorporation of regional church in the Reich Church led by German Christians under Reich Bishop Ludwig Müller (1883-1945) and August Jäger (1887-1949).


In clear distinction to the German Christians, the Principles of the Brotherhood of Pastors stated, neither as substitution nor addition can a revelation of God in nature or history, i.e. in blood and race or in nation and state, be a foundation for the church’s doctrine and life along with the unique revelation of God in the biblical history of salvation. Membership in the Christian church may not be bound to affiliation with a certain race. Moreover, the church’s outward order and governance may not be simply a copy of the state’s principles of governance (Führer principle).


The Brotherhood of Pastors gained a following rapidly and had around 500 members just one year after its founding. Its most important proponents included Kurt Frör (1905-1980), dean of studies of Nuremberg theological seminary, Helmut Kern (1892-1941), director of the Bavarian regional church’s home mission agency, Pastor Eduard Putz (1907-1990), Julius Sammetreuther (1883-1939), later member of the high consistory (as of 1935), Pastor Hans Schmidt, Julius Schieder (1888-1964), director of Nuremberg theological seminary, and Pastor Hermann Schlier.


Once Regional Bishop Meiser was reinstated at the end of October of 1934, the Brotherhood of Pastors basically remained loyal to the church government. The brotherhood’s and the church government’ staff and operations were closely linked. Nevertheless, the Brotherhood of Pastors also repeatedly expressed criticism of the church government’s course, as in November of 1934 when it demanded tougher action against German Christian pastors, especially those who had subordinated themselves to Reich Bishop Ludwig Müller.


Members of the Brotherhood of Pastors were in contact with the Confessing Church outside of Bavaria and attended the National Synods of the Confessing Church. Circles within the brotherhood commented on the Bavarian church government’s marginalization of the Theological Declaration of Barmen just as critically as on the establishment of the “Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany” (Luther Council) as the government of the moderate wing of the Confessing Church under Bavarian leadership after the Confessing Church’s split in 1936.


Although it also sharply criticized Regional Bishop Meiser’s conciliatory conduct on occasion, the Brotherhood of Pastors did not evolve into an opposition group within the church and cooperated with the church government on most issues. When World War II broke out, it lost its ecclesio-political significance and concentrated primarily on providing care to drafted pastors and their families.


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  • © Evangelische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Kirchliche Zeitgeschichte München, A 30.28

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