During World War II, many members of the Lutheran church in Germany lost their faith because Hitler seduced them into ways of living that kept them from practicing their faith. But there was one man whom Hitler could not compromise. His name was Martin Niemöller. During World War I, Niemöller had been a great hero in the German military but when the Second World War came, he refused to bow to the authorities. He was marching to a different drumbeat. And march he did. When Hitler could not make him change his tune, could not bring him in line with the Nazis’ brutal policies, Hitler had Niemöller thrown into a concentration camp.

Seven years later, when Niemöller came out of the camp, this is what he said: “Christianity is not an ethic, nor is it a system of dogmatics, but a living thing.” Ev…