Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust: Amazon Kindle Edition
Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust by David P. Gushee is an authoritative and indispensable exploration of a highly important aspect of the Holocaust, the willingness of a small, but morally significant, number of non-Jews to take on great risks for themselves and their families to rescue Jews from the Nazi death machine. In this well-documented, well-written book, Gushee explores the full range of Gentile responses to the plight of the Jews from overt hostility and obscene brutality to altruistic rescue, the better to understand the achievements of truly Righteous Gentiles. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the Holocaust.
—Richard L. Rubenstein, President Emeritus, Distinguished Professor of Religion,
University of Bridgeport
"Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust: Genocide and Moral Obligation is a vital, profound, well-researched book—scholarly, inspiring, beautifully written, theologically honest, morally challenging, and ethical all at once. While David Gushee’s subject—rescuers and helpers during the Holocaust—is one we all like to read about, he does not shrink from confronting, and forcing the reader to confront, the "underside" of Christian history, our moral failure, sin and evil during the Holocaust. He brilliantly illuminates the history and circumstances that made some people rise to the heights of nobility and others sink to the depths of depravity. Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust is an absolutely splendid book. I highly recommend it."
—Dr. Carol Rittner, R.S.M. is Distinguished Professor of Holocaust & Genocide Studies at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and the author or editor of numerous books, including The Courage to Care: Rescuers of Jews During the Holocaust
"For two generations, reflections on the horrible events of the Shoah focused primarily on survivors and perpetrators. Then, in the past decade, both Jews and Christians were prepared to write and read about those few but inspiring rescuers who, in the face of terror, sought to save the Jews. In a single, elegantly written volume, David Gushee narrates the history of these “righteous gentiles,” compares their differing achievements and motivations, and offers his own stunning reflections on the societal and theological lessons we may learn from them.
Since the first edition appeared, this book has been a staple of my course on "Belief and Ethics after the Shoa.” I was distressed when the book went out of print and am truly grateful that it has now re-appeared, revised and expanded. It is one of our most important resources for Holocaust studies."
—Peter Ochs, Edgar Bronfman Professor of Modern Judaic Studies, University of Virginia
"...Gushee incorporates new research on the Holocaust as well as the nuances of his evolved thinking; he still address his work in particular to those who identify themselves as Christians, but he now has a widened view of his audience so that his comments pertain to those of other religious paths. The subject is a quest to understand why more non-Jews did not assist the Jews against the Nazis, to understand those who did, and more broadly, to understand what it takes to be a rescuer."
—Reference & Research Book News, February 2004
"David Gushee's wide-ranging research on the Holocaust rescuers redresses a serious
omission in the literature in the area of Christian ethics. It is a response
to the call of several Jewish scholars that Christians break their silence
on rescuer interpretation"
—Beverly W. Harrison, Union Theological Seminary
"Despite decades of Holocaust studies and even mass media attention
(e.g., Schindler's List), no full-length treatment of the Righteous Gentiles
has appeared in and for Christian ethics. Who were these people? Why did they
do what they did? What kind of Christianity was theirs, if any? How do we assess
them, from a moral point of view? And what does it all mean for Christian ethics?
Finally, with this book the lacuna has been filled, and David Gushee's does
it so very, very well."
—Larry L. Rasmussen, Union Theological Seminary
"This book confronts the record of Christian hatred and
sin revealed in the baleful light of the Holocaust in a morally purifying way.
It uncovers
profound theological and ethical paradigms in the witness of Righteous Gentiles
without glossing over or sentimentalizing the face of evil. Gushee's work is
at once intellectually vital and spiritually restorative. Strongly recommended."
— Irving Greenberg, President, CLAL: National Jewish Center for
Learning and Leadership
"Superb analysis of the painful, urgent question, 'Why did
so few Christians try to protect the Jews?' An excellent book…"
—Ronald J. Sider, Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Contents
Preface ix
One
Lone Lights in the Darkness
Rescuers of Jews During the Holocaust
Two
The Holocaust: The Destruction of the European Jews
Three
In the Moral Crucible: Choices in Nazi Europe
Four
The Righteous Gentiles: Partners in Resistance
Five
Many Paths to Righteousness: Why Rescuers Helped Jews
Six
Compelled by Faith: Religious Motivations for Rescue
Seven
The Quest for Righteousness Today
Notes
Bibliography
Indexes
DAVID P. GUSHEE is Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy at Union University.