The combination of Nazi ideology and Protestant theological thought often coincided in Nazi Germany, with disastrous consequences such as involuntary sterilization and the mass murder of the sick and disabled. Using a case study, the lecture addresses the political and moral challenges Protestant leaders faced as they navigated this ideologically charged era. The case highlights how creation theology was co-opted to legitimize racial hygiene policies that defined health care for those deemed "unworthy of life." These policies created profound ethical dilemmas and raised questions about complicity and moral responsibility.

Maurice Backschat is Research Associate & PhD candidate at the University of Münster (Germany) and the University of Groningen (The Netherlands), and a Fellow of the Foundation of German Industry. He specializes in the intersection of religious history and secularism. He researches theologians between National Socialism and Protestantism, investigating previously unknown involvement in violent Nazi racial policies. Maurice, a former professional athlete, is an active scholar with publications in church history and experience in international conferences.

This event is co-sponsored by the Humanities & Social Change Center, Department of Religious Studies, and Department of History at UCSB.