Franklin Littel
Encyclopedia
Franklin Hamlin Littell was an American Protestant scholar. He is known for his writings rejecting supersessionism
and, in light of the Holocaust, advocated educational programs to improve relations between Christians and Jews.
After spending nearly ten years in post-war Germany as Chief Protestant Religious Adviser in the High Command assigned especially to the task of deNazification during the occupation, he was deeply affected by the atrocities that had been committed during World War II, and thus dedicated his life to researching the Holocaust and bringing its tragic lessons in human rights to widespread public attention. In public meetings, on campuses and in churches, he raised one of the first voices
of conscience in the post-war period, talking about the lessons of the Holocaust.
In his book Historical Atlas of Christianity, first published in 1976, he maintained that many Christian churches failed to deal honestly with their complicity in the murder of European Jews. In his youth, he attended a Nazi rally in Nuremberg
, and he would later formulate, in a paper entitled Holocaust and the Christians, that the lure of Nazism was caused by failures in Christian spirituality originating from the First Council of Nicea in 325 CE. He also wrote in theological support of Zionism
.
Supersessionism
Supersessionism is a term for the dominant Christian view of the Old Covenant, also called fulfillment theology and replacement theology, though the latter term is disputed...
and, in light of the Holocaust, advocated educational programs to improve relations between Christians and Jews.
After spending nearly ten years in post-war Germany as Chief Protestant Religious Adviser in the High Command assigned especially to the task of deNazification during the occupation, he was deeply affected by the atrocities that had been committed during World War II, and thus dedicated his life to researching the Holocaust and bringing its tragic lessons in human rights to widespread public attention. In public meetings, on campuses and in churches, he raised one of the first voices
Voices
Voices is a 2006 translation of a 2003 crime novel by Icelandic author Arnaldur Indriðason, another entry in the multi award-winning Detective Erlendur series. It was first published in English in August, 2006. The Swedish translation of the novel won Sweden's Martin Beck Award for the best crime...
of conscience in the post-war period, talking about the lessons of the Holocaust.
In his book Historical Atlas of Christianity, first published in 1976, he maintained that many Christian churches failed to deal honestly with their complicity in the murder of European Jews. In his youth, he attended a Nazi rally in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, and he would later formulate, in a paper entitled Holocaust and the Christians, that the lure of Nazism was caused by failures in Christian spirituality originating from the First Council of Nicea in 325 CE. He also wrote in theological support of Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
.