Under the Gleichschaltung process, Hitler attempted to create a unified Protestant Reich Church from Germany's 28 existing Protestant state churches,[402] with the ultimate goal of eradication of the churches in Germany.[403] Pro-Nazi Ludwig Müller was installed as Reich Bishop and the pro-Nazi pressure group German Christians gained control of the new church.[404] They objected to the Old Testament because of its Jewish origins and demanded that converted Jews be barred from their church.[405] Pastor Martin Niemöller responded with the formation of the Confessing Church, from which some clergymen opposed the Nazi regime.[406] When in 1935 the Confessing Church synod protested the Nazi policy on religion, 700 of their pastors were arrested.[407] Müller resigned and Hitler appointed Hanns Kerrl as Minister for Church Affairs to continue efforts to control Protestantism.[408] In 1936, a Confessing Church envoy protested to Hitler against the religious persecutions and human rights abuses.[407] Hundreds more pastors were arrested.[408] The church continued to resist and by early 1937 Hitler abandoned his hope of uniting the Protestant churches.[407] Niemöller was arrested on 1 July 1937 and spent most of the next seven years in Sachsenhausen concentration camp and Dachau.[409] Theological universities were closed and pastors and theologians of other Protestant denominations were also arrested.[407]