In his criticism of Tim Keller, Metaxas claims that Keller errs in the manner of the German Christians, by which he means that Keller, “preaching only the gospel” (sic!) refuses God’s “clear word” for the American church to act against the prevailing regime.

Metaxas says that Keller should instead preach in the manner of the Confessing Church, and in a bold venture of faith, denounce Biden with the clarity that Barmen denounced Hitler.

Two problems. First, the German Evangelical (Lutheran) Church did not “preach only the gospel”. It preached a Christianity antithetical to historic Christian orthodoxy. Spirit serves an ethno nationalism based on common blood who proceeds from the Father and the führer.

Second, the Confessing Church did not take a political stand, never denounced Hitler, never spoke & acted in defense of the Jewish people. Barmen affirmed the Lordship of Jesus Christ hard stop. The clear and persistent preaching of the Gospel would be sufficient. It was not.

Metaxas is so confused about the Kirchenkampf and where he stands in its repercussions that it’s best to let the great Fritz Stern have the last word. “In every way Metaxas betrays a quite amazing ignorance of the German language, German history, and German theology.”

For more on Metaxas, here’s one from the archives: Eric Metaxas’s Bonhoeffer Delusions

The Project on Lived Theology at the University of Virginia is a research initiative, whose mission is to study the social consequences of theological ideas for the sake of a more just and compassionate world.