Author Archives: Ryan Buesnel

About Ryan Buesnel

Welcome to my page! I am a writer and musician from Melbourne who enjoys reading philosophy, theology and military history. I am a Ph.D. Candidate through Charles Sturt University, with my thesis exploring the activities of the German State Church during the Third Reich-era.

German Anti-Semitism in Context Part 4: Adolf Stoecker

Posted on January 13, 2022 by Ryan Buesnel

Stoecker was born in the Saxon town of Halberstadt within the Kingdom of Prussia. A child of humble, working-class origins, Stoecker showed enough intellectual promise that he was eventually sent to Halberstadt University where he commenced his training to become … Continue reading →

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German Anti-Semitism in Context Part 3: Eugen Dühring

Posted on December 20, 2021 by Ryan Buesnel

The Prussian-born scholar Eugen Dühring (1833–1921) made important contributions to the fields of philosophy, economics, and politics. As something of a polymath, the breadth of Dühring’s written corpus includes treatments of topics as diverse as militarism, Marxism, mathematics, and literature. … Continue reading →

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German Anti-Semitism in Context Part 2: Heinrich von Treitschke

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Ryan Buesnel

In his posthumous work Politik, the famed German historian and political commentator Heinrich von Treitschke (1834–1896) wrote that those preaching the doctrine of eternal peace did not understand the essence of the Aryan life.[1] The true German spirit, argued von Treitschke, … Continue reading →

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German Anti-Semitism in Context Part 1: Paul de Lagarde

Posted on November 19, 2021 by Ryan Buesnel

Welcome to the first in my new series, which aims to introduce readers to some key figures responsible for the development of anti-Semitic philosophy and ideology in late-19th century Germany. Each of these authors, intellectuals, and activists played a role … Continue reading →

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The “National Socialist Bible” of 1940: An Experiment in Contextualization

Posted on October 16, 2021 by Ryan Buesnel

The so-called “Nazi Bible” of 1940 was an experiment in theological revision undertaken by scholars attached to the Institute for the Study and Elimination of Jewish Influence on German Church Life. The Institute, based in the Thüringian town of Eisenach, … Continue reading →

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Hitler and Christianity: Some Trends in Interpretation

Posted on September 4, 2021 by Ryan Buesnel

A question was recently put to me by a reader who was curious to hear my thoughts on whether Hitler should be considered a “Christian” or an “atheist.” What had spurred this on was this reader’s consideration of the somewhat … Continue reading →

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Chuck deGroat and the Narcissistic Congregation

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Ryan Buesnel

I have recently had the opportunity to read Chuck deGroat’s confronting book When Narcissism Comes to Church: Healing Your Community From Emotional and Spiritual Abuse (1). DeGroat’s purpose in this study is twofold: first, he explores the how and the why … Continue reading →

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What is Fascism and who are today’s Fascists?

Posted on March 2, 2021 by Ryan Buesnel

Presentation: Café of Dangerous Ideas, February 27th, 2021 Ryan Buesnel rbuesnel@csu.edu.au In his 2018 book How Fascism Works, Jason Stanley offers an assessment of the state of American politics under the leadership of Donald Trump and suggests that there are … Continue reading →

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The German Christian Rally at Berlin’s Sportspalast, 28 February 1934: Reich Bishop Ludwig Müller, Dr. Christian Kinder Respond to the Kirchenkampf

Posted on January 7, 2021 by Ryan Buesnel

From: Ryan Buesnel, The German Christian Rally at Berlin’s Sportspalast, 28 February 1934: Reich Bishop Ludwig Müller, Dr. Christian Kinder Respond to the Kirchenkampf, Journal of Church and State, , csaa103, https://doi.org/10.1093/jcs/csaa103 On February 28, 1934, about twenty thousand members of the … Continue reading →

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Søren Kierkegaard and the Corsair Affair: Public Shaming and the Assertion of the Individual

Posted on September 26, 2020 by Ryan Buesnel

The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard’s trial by public opinion unfolded due to an ongoing campaign of character assassination on behalf of the satirical magazine the Corsair.  Founded in 1840 by novelist Aron Goldschmidt, the Corsair had earned a reputation as being … Continue reading →

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