August 13, 2025

The Limits of Anti-Nazism

In our era, very few moral propositions command virtually unanimous assent. One such proposition, no doubt, is that Adolf Hitler and his Nazi movement were absolutely, incontrovertibly evil to the core.

The durability of this consensus might seem encouraging to those who fear that our world is sliding into moral anarchy. At least we’re holding the line, they might conclude, against a total descent into racial chauvinism, might-makes-right statecraft, and campaigns to exterminate certain classes of people.

British historian Alec Ryrie worries, however, that mere anti-Nazism is unsustainable as a de facto Western public philosophy—especially as memories of the Holocaust fade with each passing generation. He explains why in a provocative new book, The Age of Hitler and How We Will Survive It.

Reviewing Ryrie’s book for CT is one of our regular contributors, Abilene Christian University theology professor Brad East. Here’s a sample of his review:

“As Ryrie writes, ‘A century ago the most potent moral figure in Western society was Jesus Christ. Now it is Adolf Hitler.’ No longer a cross or crucifix but instead the swastika is the talisman of our time—a talisman of evil, to be sure, yet far more powerful than any other cultural or religious symbol.

“At the political level, anti-Nazism became a doctrine that informed both domestic and foreign policy. Pluralism, internationalism, and the long march of human rights were good; religion, nationalism, and particular moral and cultural traditions were suspect. Certainly, any long-standing custom or belief that maintained or inscribed persistent differences, divisions, or hierarchies between groups or kinds of behavior was bound for the chopping block. After all, this was the open society. Proscription was passé.

“At the cultural level, the morality tale of World War II became embedded in popular novels and films. From Lord of the Rings to Star Wars to Harry Potter, the Saurons and Emperors and Voldemorts—holding the world in thrall via the Ring or the Force or the Dark Arts—could not be appeased, lest tyranny prevail. They must be defeated at all costs in a cosmic battle between ‘the children of light and the children of darkness.’

“At this point you might be wondering: What’s so bad about all this? Wasn’t Hitler the embodiment of evil? Isn’t it good we can all agree on that? Aren’t human rights an accomplishment to be celebrated? Aren’t Tolkien and Lucas and Rowling reinforcing messages we want to shape our children’s moral imaginations?

“Yes, Ryrie responds, but only up to a point. He’s glad for the postwar legacy of human rights and democratic pluralism. He’s not a reactionary and not exactly a postliberal either. His stated problem isn’t with the Enlightenment per se.

“No, Ryrie’s concern is that Hitler cannot bear the weight our society has placed on him. General agreement that Hitler was evil is, simply put, insufficient either for a positive moral vision or for the challenges facing us in the coming days.”

The Practicality of Heavenly Hope

Several years ago, Nashville pastor Matthew McCullough wrote a book called Remember Death: The Surprising Path to Living Hope. His latest book, Remember Heaven: Meditations on the World to Come for Life in the Meantime, functions as something of a companion volume.

In it, McCullough challenges the notion that dwelling on our eternal destiny represents an escapist distraction from the pressing business of doing God’s will in the here and now. The truth, he argues, is the opposite: Embracing heavenly hope is one of our surest routes to living faithfully on earth.

Jeremy Writebol, a pastor and author based in Michigan, reviewed the book for CT.

“Each of the [seven] longings McCullough identifies speaks to every human’s core desires and needs,” writes Writebol. “His book devotes one chapter apiece to our dissatisfactions, our inadequacies, our struggles with sin, our anxieties, our suffering, our grief, and our quests for purpose and meaning.

“As McCullough points believers to our heavenly future, he shows how it offers answers to each gap and weight. God promises joy for the dissatisfied, righteousness for the inadequate, holiness for the sinner, security for the anxious, relief for the suffering, comfort for the grieving, and purpose for the people of God together. It’s a beautiful life ahead for those who walk the road of faith here and now.

“In the meantime, McCullough argues, we can build a kind of holy practicality into our living. Much of what he recommends in this regard would be compatible with C. S. Lewis’s portrait, in The Great Divorce, of insubstantial souls being ‘thickened up a bit,’ resulting in solid, stable, heaven-ready saints.

“McCullough calls us to set our eyes on Christ, fix our hearts on the love of God, endure suffering for a short while, and battle sin with a habit of ‘looking, loving, likeness,’ through which seeing God increases our love for him, which in turn helps us obey him. The Christian life here and now is a matter of sharing our future hope, living in light of our future home, and being renewed in the holiness Christ gives. To borrow the title of Eugene Peterson’s well-known book, it involves ‘a long obedience in the same direction.’”

Matt Reynolds

Senior Editor, Books

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As developments in artificial intelligence change daily, we’re increasingly asking what makes humanity different from the machines we use. In this issue, Emily Belz introduces us to tech workers on the frontlines of AI development, Harvest Prude explains how algorithms affect Christian courtship, and Miroslav Volf writes on the transhumanist question. Several writers call our attention to the gifts of being human: Haejin and Makoto Fujimura point us to beauty and justice, Kelly Kapic reminds us God’s highest purpose isn’t efficiency, and Jen Pollock Michel writes on the effects of Alzheimer’s . We bring together futurists, theologians, artists, practitioners, and professors to consider how technology shapes us even as we use it.

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The Limits of Anti-Nazism

The Practicality of Heavenly Hope

Hating Hitler Is Not Enough

Dwelling on Heaven Isn’t Escapist