Patriotismus und Protestantismus

Konfessionelle Semantik im nationalen Diskurs zwischen 1749 und 1813

by Christian Senkel

Book cover: Patriotismus und Protestantismus

Extent: 310 pages

Publisher: Mohr Siebeck

Subjects: German Studies, Religious Studies

Series: Beiträge zur historischen Theologie

Series volume number: 172

Language: German

Hardback (Published)

(April 2015)

ISBN: 9783161527142

6.57 x 9.13 inches

Price: $143.00

Out of stock

In Germany the national and political demands for unity and freedom are derived to a large extent from Christian traditions. Whereas the customary conception of history is based on a secularization of the religious or a sacralisation of the nation, in his study Christian Senkel reveals a wild mixture of self-assurances which hope for a Protestant taming of nationalism or strive for a nationalization of Christianity. It is mainly the imaginations of literary figures which prove to be significant for this complex image: First Luther precedes a free German republic as a cult(ural) figure, then the Protestant war rhetoric against France and Napoleon puts pressure on the essential national and political terms – thus begins the nationalistic abuse of religious life and expression. German text.


English summary: In Germany the national and political demands for unity and freedom are derived to a large extent from Christian traditions. Whereas the customary conception of history is based on a secularization of the religious or a sacralisation of the nation, in his study Christian Senkel reveals a wild mixture of self-assurances which hope for a Protestant taming of nationalism or strive for a nationalization of Christianity. It is mainly the imaginations of literary figures which prove to be significant for this complex image: First Luther precedes a free German republic as a cult(ural) figure, then the Protestant war rhetoric against France and Napoleon puts pressure on the essential national and political terms – thus begins the nationalistic abuse of religious life and expression. German description: In Deutschland sind die nationalpolitischen Forderungen nach Einheit und Freiheit in hohem Mass durch christliche Uberlieferungen grundiert. Wahrend das ubliche Geschichtsbild von einer Sakularisierung des Religiosen oder von einer Sakralisierung der Nation ausgeht, legt Christian Senkel eine verwilderte Mischung von Selbstvergewisserungen frei, die auf eine evangelische Bandigung des Nationalen hoffen oder aber eine Nationalisierung des Christentums anstreben. Als bedeutsam fur dieses gemischte Bild erweisen sich vor allem die Imaginationen von Literaten: Bald steht Luther als Kult(ur)figur einer freiheitlichen deutschen Republik voran, bald erzeugt die protestantische Kriegsrhetorik gegen Frankreich und Napoleon Druck auf die nationalpolitisch zentralen Begriffe – so beginnt der nationalistische Missbrauch konfessionellen Ausdruckslebens.

  • By (author) Christian Senkel