Pius XI addresses the German bishops and faithful amid persecution, explaining that the Church entered the 1933 concordat in hope of protecting religious freedom and peaceful cooperation, while the state has repeatedly violated it. He defends the Church's rights and praises those who endure suffering for the faith. The letter rejects pantheism, pagan notions of destiny, and the elevation of state, race, or nation to divine status. God is the personal, triune Creator whose universal commandments govern individuals and societies; no national religion can replace this faith.

Christ's revelation is final, rooted in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the Cross, and cannot be displaced by the “myth of race and blood” or by mortal leaders. Faith in Christ entails faith in the universal Church and the Bishop of Rome, not a national church. The Pope defends natural law, the rights of parents to educate their children, and the Church's authority in moral formation. He encourages youth, parents, priests, religious, and associations to resist anti-Christian pressure through fidelity, prayer, charity, and courage, while preserving hope for peace, conversion, and the return of Germany to the faith.