by Eric Metaxas
First published 2026
In 1930s and 1940s Germany, the Nazi regime launched a calculated assault on Christianity itself. Metaxas documents Hitler's systematic campaign to control, corrupt, and eliminate the German church, replacing Christian faith with worship of the state. Nazi ideology stood in direct opposition to Christian beliefs, creating an irreconcilable conflict. The author examines church leaders who resisted the regime's pressure alongside those who chose collaboration with the government. Ordinary believers found themselves trapped between impossible choices, forced to decide between their faith and their personal safety. Metaxas contends that contemporary Americans fundamentally misunderstand how Nazism related to Christianity. This detailed account illuminates the reality of religious persecution under totalitarian control, showing readers how authoritarian regimes target faith communities and the courage required to resist such systematic oppression.
Genres: history, american, united-states, non-fiction
Vibes: epic, sweeping, thought-provoking
Tropes: epic, historical-drama
Setting: Germany
Period: 18th-Century, American-Revolution
640 pages · Hardcover · Odysseus Books