1.9 Christian Moral Action

Question 1

what was Bonhoeffer’s view on duty to the state

Answer 1

• Bonohoeffer living under Nazis where many christians embraced their teachings
• didn’t argue that christians must always ignore the rules of the state, only in extreme circumstances is doing nothing unacceptable
• the state will never be able to reflect God’s wishes full as it is run by fallen human beings
• emphasised the role of action, the gospels show proper christian response is action not belief as seen in the actions of Jesus

Question 2

what is the role of the church in the state?

Answer 2

a source of community and spiritual discipline
- the church needed to understand the world is religionless and work within that context
- religionless = moving away from religious superstitions and towards rationalism and going beyond ‘rusty swords’ (outdated Christian ethics)

Question 3

what was Bonhoeffer’s role in the church

Answer 3

the confessing church:
- met together in 1934 to produce the barmen declaration that said Jesus is the only true leader and christians must not follow any teaching that does not come from the revelation of Jesus

his own community at Finkelwalde:
- was to train pastors for the confessing church against the nazis
- it was closed by the gestapo in 1937

Question 4

what is Bonhoeffer’s view on grace

Answer 4

• grace is not easy to obtain or is freely given, this is cheap grace
• grace should be obtained by the church by engaging with the suffering of Jesus, this is costly grace

Question 5

what is Bonhoeffer’s view on sacrifice and suffering

Answer 5

• it is through suffering that christians can fully understand God’s revelation and obtain grace
• doesn’t have to be as extreme as Jesus’, just different to the world around them, true spritiual discipline is sacrifice in itself

Question 6

what is Bonhoeffer’s view on solidarity

Answer 6

• the church must be for others seen in his decision to return to Germany from America
• christians should speak out and question injustice when they see it

Question 7

two strengths of Bonhoeffer?

Answer 7

1. call to reject cheap grace is valuable in today’s society where people live superficial and materialistic lives
2. lots of people living under oppressive governments

Question 8

two weaknesses of Bonhoeffer

Answer 8

1. civil disobedience lower the christian to the level of a terrorist
2. christians should never begin with the assumption that they should disobey

Question 9

wider scholars for christian moral action?

Answer 9

Barth and Brunner
- worked alongside Bonhoeffer in the confessing church but did not share Bonhoeffer’s stance on the explicit use of force in political resistance or his involvement in the plot to assassinate Hitler

Hauerwas
- American theologian, emphasises importance of nonviolence in Christian ethics even in extreme situations