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.

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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In Pursuit of (Someone’s) Justice

Posted on May 18, 2021 by Ryan Buesnel

Embedded in much contemporary political (and theological) discourse is an underlying assumption that the definitions of grand concepts such as “inclusivity” and “justice” are glaringly self-evident. What has preoccupied some of the best minds in philosophical history has now, apparently, … 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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A Boy, a Preacher, and a Wizard.

Posted on August 9, 2020 by Ryan Buesnel

I remember 1997 well. It was the year that the Ricky Martin phenomenon hit the rural Victorian town of Echuca. The girls at my high school were losing their minds over how hot he was. Little did they know that … Continue reading →

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Kilkenny Trains

Posted on July 2, 2020 by Ryan Buesnel

Dad used to walk me to the train line near Kilkenny station in suburban Adelaide when he felt like a bit of train-spotting. The station was a short walk from my Grandparent’s house, where my Dad spent his boyhood years. … Continue reading →

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Grandpa’s House

Posted on May 11, 2020 by Ryan Buesnel

As I opened the back door to the house, a rushing blast of pent-up air hit me squarely in the face like the onslaught of a summertime northerly. It was as if years of accumulated stuffiness had been expecting this … Continue reading →

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