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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (December 19, 2003 ) — An untold story and little known irony about the reign of Adolf Hitler is that he inadvertently played a tremendous influence on strengthening the role of women in the church, according to Dr. Ted Thomas of Milligan College. Thomas, associate professor of humanities, history and German, will teach a course on the subject in the spring semester at Milligan College.
“The irony is that precisely because of Hitler’s anti-Christian and anti-female policy, the Protestant Churches experienced a man-power shortage and for the first time women moved into the pulpits of many Protestant congregations,” says Thomas, whose studies on this topic have resulted in numerous articles.
Thomas explained that when Hitler took over the German Protestant Church, he persecuted the church and imprisoned thousands of pastors and priests, many of whom he sent to their deaths on the battlefields. With the pastors gone, the women were left to run the church.
“Pastors’ wives and women with theological training began preaching and teaching. This elevation of women in the church obviously flew in the face of the Nazi hatred of women. That’s the delicious irony,” said Thomas, who explained that Hitler had tried to diminish the role of women as economic and political partners in Germany, sending them home from their jobs in the factories, hospitals, law courts and universities.
Thomas said that historians refer to this time period as “The German Church Struggle.”
“It’s an era that is full of stories of martyrdom, sacrifice and bravery, as well as accounts of unspeakable evil, cowardice and compromise. It’s a great narrative,” said Thomas.
Thomas’ course will take a historical look at the topic, with some discussion on the theological implications, as well.
The “Christ, Hitler and Women” course will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in the upcoming spring semester. For more information on taking the course either for credit or non-credit, please contact the Milligan College Registrar’s Office at 423-461-8788.