Bonhoeffer: christian moral action Flashcards
What was the name of the church that Bonhoeffer was a key founding member of?
The confessing church.
What views did this church reject?
The confessing church rejected the way that the German christian church had accepted Nazi ideology.
What was Hitler seen as in German churches?
Hitler was seen as the leader of christianity alongside Jesus.
According to Bonhoeffer, what was the church’s responsibility?
Bonhoeffer emphasized that the church has a responsibility to actively engage in the world
What did Bonhoeffer see the church as?
He saw the church as a source of spiritual discipline.
What part of the bible did Bonhoeffer use to describe the followers of Jesus and how and what did he to use to describe Jesus’ disciples?
Bonhoeffer used the sermon on the mount in Matthew as an idea that followers of Jesus are like ‘salt’ and ‘light’. The metaphor of salt shows that christians should preserve what is good and the metaphor of ‘light’ shows christians guiding others to the truth, they must be a leading example for others
What did Bonhoeffer believe christian duty was?
Bonhoeffer believed that christians have a dual obligation to God and to the world.
What did Bonhoeffer say christians should do in the world?
In his view, being a christian is not just about personal faith; it is about actively participating in the world to challenge injustice and evil.
what did Bonhoeffer say about discipleship?
Discipleship means being willing to take risks and make sacrifices in the face of evil, even if it leads to suffering or death, just like Jesus.
what is costly grace?
Costly grace is grace that demands commitment, sacrifice and obedience.
what did Bonhoeffer say about costly grace.
He said that christian moral action requires costly grace, meaning real involvement in tackling the struggles and injustice of the world.
what did Bonhoeffer say about ‘being normal’ as a christian?
He said that being a christian is not about just ‘being normal’ but is a life of suffering for christ.
what is civil disobedience?
open refusal to obey certain laws set down by the government.
what did Bonhoeffer think about civil disobedience
Bonhoeffer thought that civil disobedience was sometimes necessary. Duty to God was far more important than duty to the state.
what three things did Bonhoeffer do to own acts of civil disobedience?
1) challenging Nazism openly, he spoke against Nazism in the university he worked at and lost his job.
2) he went to public lectures and raised objections to Nazism, and was banned from going to them.
3) He was a double agent and worked for German military intelligence but was actually link with the resistance. He disguised Jews as members of military intelligence and smuggled them across the border to safety in Switzerland.
