3.6 Christian moral action Flashcards
Confessing Church
Bonhoeffer founded the Confessing Church, which promoted rejecting Nazi ideology.
Wanted to move away from German Christian society at the time.
Advocated the value of Church community, the ethic of responsibility and discipleship to others.
What did the Confessing Church ask Bonhoeffer to do?
To lead an illegal Seminary (a place to train new pastors) in place of one that had been shut down by the Gestapo.
It was a place for the spiritually damaged and a refuge for the persecuted.
It was a source of spiritual discipline: a life of prayer and a way of Jesus living in the community.
German Christian Church
Hitler was seen as a leader of the Church, much like Jesus.
Some leaders started to wear brown uniforms associated with the Nazis.
They didn’t let people with Jewish ancestry become ministers.
Advocated for the removal of the first 5 books of the Old Testament because they were Jewish.
This lead to a split in German Churches.
German Christians vs Bonhoeffer
Accused them of not confessing their faith, not being true to their discipleship, not following the commands of God and therefore rejected anti-Jewish rules.
He openly spoke against Nazi persecution of the Jews, causing conflict.
Discipleship
The call to discipleship entails exclusive obedience to the leadership of Jesus and will of God.
It is therefore above the law - you must ignore the law of the land and devote yourself to God.
This entails cutting yourself off from your previous existence, not just fitting it into your current life.
Suffering and sacrifice are inherent to discipleship because Jesus suffered and sacrificed himself.
Obedience
An act of obedience is the only real faith; it calls and demands action.
- Reason, conscience etc. stand in the way of true faith.
Bonhoeffer continued throughout his life to push against Hitler and the Nazis.
- Considered Hitler the antichrist and is believed to have joined the plot to assassinate him.
He argued one must break Christian teachings about obeying civil authority, justifying civil disobedience.
- Duty to God is more important than duty to the state.
- This could be seen as a fairly dangerous idea (Stephen Fry - ‘one man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist’)
God’s grace
God’s love and mercy given freely to people, including the forgiveness of sins and the offer of eternal life. Not offered/earned as a reward - God gives it to you.
Cheap grace
‘Enemy of the Church’
When not enough emphasis is placed on discipleship and solidarity.
When grace is an easy part of your life.
Bonhoeffer criticises the idea that Christian life should be easy and people who argue Jesus died for all so they shouldn’t have to fight for their grace.
Costly grace
You would and must sacrifice everything for it. It asks us to dedicate to Jesus.
Must give your life for it but it will be worth it.
Solidarity
Purpose of Christian life is to be in a relationship with God through living with/for others.
The idea of sharing in other people’s suffering.
This idea brought Bonhoeffer back to Berlin after escaping to America.
Links to Jesus as a social and political liberator/revolutionary
Matthew 5-7
Sermon on the Mount
Followers of Jesus must be like ‘salt’ and ‘light’
Christians need to add flavour to a community, even if they are small in number, by leading exemplary Christian lives, and must be a leading example
Hermann Grüner
“Hitler is the way of the Spirit and the will of God for the German people to enter the Church of Christ.”
Luke 9:57-62
“Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
“Let the dead bury their own dead.”
“Only he who ——– is obedient, and only he who is ——– believes.” (Bonhoeffer)
Believes
Obedient
“[Christ] bids him come and — … ——— then, is the badge of true ————.” (Bonhoeffer)
Die
Suffering
Discipleship
