Between Humanist Philosophy and Apocalyptic Theology : The Twentieth Century Sojourn of Samuel Štefan Osuský

Samuel Stefan Osusky was a leading intellectual in Slovak Lutheranism and a bishop in his church. In 1937 he delivered a prescient lecture to the assembled clergy, “The Philosophy of Fascism, Bolshevism and Hitlerism”, that clearly foretold the dark days ahead. As wartime bishop, he co-authored a “Pastoral Letter on the Jewish Question”, which publicly decried the deportation of Jews to Poland in 1942; in 1944 he was imprisoned by the Gestapo for giving moral support to the Slovak National Uprising against the fascist puppet regime. Paul R. Hinlicky traces the intellectual journey with ethical idealism's faith in the progressive theology of history that ended in dismay and disillusionment at the revolutionary pretensions of Marxism-Leninism. Hinlicky shows Osusky's dramatic rediscovery of the apocalyptic “the mother of Christian theology”, and his input into the discussion of the dialectic of faith and reason after rationalism and fundamentalism. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Dedication 7 Contents 9 A Very Personal Preface 11 Introduction 19 Problems in Remembering Osuský 19 Life, Works and the Plan of This Book 26 1. From Dissent under Imperialism to Nation-building 31 Imperialism, Nationalism and Western Christianity 32 Prophetic Protest: War and Religion (1916) 38 The History of Religion (1922) and the Legacy of Liberal Theology 57 A Fundamentalist Challenge 62 Defence of the Truth (1946): Ethical Idealism’s Last Hurrah 70 2. Resistance to Fascism and the Turn to the Bible 89 The Hlinka Slovak People’s Party and Fascism 92 ‘The Philosophy of Fascism, Bolshevism and Hitlerism’ (1937) 97 Interventions in 1939 upon the Formation of the Slovak Republic 103 The 1942 ‘Pastoral Letter on the Jewish Question’ 107 Defence of the Truth (1946): A Vindication of Protestantism as the True Christianity 116 3. Speaking from the Scriptures to a World at War 125 The End of the World (1941) 127 The Mystery of the Cross (1943) 139 Defence of the Truth (1946): Discerning True Christianity 150 4. Biblical Theology in Samizdat 165 Problems in Interpreting the Gallery 165 Persona non grata and the Failure of Apologetics 172 A Reading of the Gallery of New Testament Figures 180 An Equally Personal Conclusion 199 Works Cited 211 Index 217 FC -- Half title -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- A Very Personal Preface -- Introduction -- Problems in Remembering Osuský -- Life, Works and the Plan of This Book -- 1 From Dissent under Imperialism to Nation-building -- Imperialism, Nationalism and Western Christianity -- Prophetic Protest: War and Religion (1916) -- The History of Religion (1922) and the Legacy of Liberal Theology -- A Fundamentalist Challenge -- Defence of the Truth (1946): Ethical Idealism's Last Hurrah -- 2 Resistance to Fascism and the Turn to the Bible -- The Hlinka Slovak People's Party and Fascism -- 'The Philosophy of Fascism, Bolshevism and Hitlerism' (1937) -- Interventions in 1939 upon the Formation of the Slovak Republic -- The 1942 'Pastoral Letter on the Jewish Question' -- Defence of the Truth (1946): A Vindication of Protestantism as the True Christianity -- 3 Speaking from the Scriptures to a World at War -- The End of the World (1941) -- The Mystery of the Cross (1943) -- Defence of the Truth (1946): Discerning True Christianity -- 4 Biblical Theology in Samizdat -- Problems in Interpreting the Gallery -- Persona non grata and the Failure of Apologetics -- A Reading of the Gallery of New Testament Figures -- An Equally Personal Conclusion -- Works Cited -- Index Paul R. Hinlicky. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.