XCUS-303 - Christians and the Holocaust (Shoah)

Course Description

There is an often-posed question that asks “How could the Holocaust have happened in the bosom of Christian Europe?” This course will attempt to provide some answers.  It will focus mainly on the reactions of European Christians to the Nazi persecutions and the killing of Jews and other targeted groups. It will start with a brief historical overview of anti-Semitism. It will then highlight the reactions of a selected number of Protestants and Catholics (individuals and organizations) in several European countries - from Hitler’s rise to power to the end of the war.  Finally, we will look at how Christians, since the end of World War II, have dealt with knowing that there were members of their own religion who were involved, one way or another, with aiding the Nazi extermination plans. Participants will receive, by email, a few optional short readings before each class.