DCT - The life and teachings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer Flashcards
1
Q
Define discipleship
A
following Jesus’ teachings to live a moral life
2
Q
How was Jesus a threat to authorities?
A
.Liberator – spoke out against injustice
.Religious authorities, Messiah – sent by God
.Worked on the Sabbath – performed miracles, allowed disciples to eat corn from the field
.Teacher of wisdom, people were not listening to the Pharisees anymore
.Challenged the view on women
.Cleared the temple
.Political authorities, Romans
3
Q
Outline the life of bonhoeffer
A
.Born in Germany in 1906 to Lutheran parents
.Even at the age of 13 he had a vision of how the Church should be transformed
.He went to university in 1923 and completed his doctoral thesis Act and Being in 1930, before becoming a lecturer at the University of Berlin
.He began developing a much more radical form of Christianity
.He believed the Church should be much more active in challenging the state
.He believed that without questioning and challenging its authority, Christianity is undermined
.Bonhoeffer moved to America where he was impressed with their teaching on Christian social responsibility
.He was hugely influenced by members of Black Christian congregations
.He realised that Christianity needed to build relationships between its different churches without racial or geographical boundaries
.When Hitler came to power, he was openly critical of the Fuhrer
.He placed himself against the state and became a member of the Confessing Church
.The Confessing Church refused to accept that only Aryan Germans could become members of the Church
.He also joined the Resistance
.Bonhoeffer was living in America when he decided to join the Resistance, after years of investigation by the Gestapo
.He knew he would be called up to serve in Hitler’s army, and if he refused he’d be labelled a pacifist – which would go against his theology of radical challenge and damage the reputation of the Confessing Church
.He realised he must return to Germany to stand in solidarity with those who were oppressed
.Bonhoeffer joined the counterintelligence section of the armed forces, unofficially he continued to work for the resistance to overthrow Hitler’s regime
.He was able to uncover information for the Resistance and support the victims of the Nazi State
.In 1943 the Gestapo arrested Bonhoeffer on the grounds that he had helped Jewish immigrants escape to Switzerland
.He spent 18 months in prison, writing many letters and a novel
.When the failed attempt to kill Hitler was uncovered, Bonhoeffer was implicated
.He was moved to several concentration camps, including Buchenwald, and executed on 9th of April 1945 at Flossenburg (which was then liberated by US forces on the 23rd April)
dont need all the points but get the general idea
4
Q
What was the most influential moment of bonhoeffers life?
A
- I think the most influential moment of Bonhoeffer’s life was the influential theologians he studied with in the US, who impressed him with their teaching on Christian social responsibility. He was also hugely influenced by members of Black Christian congregations when he was in America. This mean that he realised that Christianity needed to build relationships between its different churches without racial or geographical boundaries – an idea I believe influenced the decisions he made later in life.
5
Q
Did Bonheoffer make the right decision to return to Germany?
A
- I do think he was right in deciding to return to Germany, if he refused he’d be labelled a pacifist – which would go against his theology of radical challenge and damage the reputation of the Confessing Church. Also, he was able to join the counterintelligence and work for the resistance, supporting victims of the Nazi state.
6
Q
Bonhoeffer’s engagement with black pastors in America allowed him to what?
A
see Christianity from a different perspective
7
Q
While in New York, Bonhoeffur attended which church?
A
Abyssinian Baptist Church
8
Q
Bonhoeffeur heard Adam Clayton Powell Sr. preach the Gospel of Social Justice, and became what?
A
sensitive to not only social injustices experienced by minorities but also the ineptitude of the church to bring about integration
9
Q
.Adam Clayton Powell Sr. has been credited with teaching Bonhoeffer about what?
A
love of enemies, resisting systems of justice, Christs presence with the poor, and the doctrine of ‘cheap grace’
10
Q
How did Bonhoeffur begin to see things in America?
A
‘from below’ – from the perspective of those who suffer oppression
11
Q
Finish the Bonhoeffur quote ‘Here one can truly …
A
… speak and hear about sin and grace and the love of God … the Black Christ is preached with rapturous passion and vision.’
12
Q
Yehuda Bauer quote
A
‘Thou shalt not be a victime, thou shalt not be a perpetrator, but, above all, thou shalt not be a bystander’
13
Q
.Jewish people call the Holocaust the ‘Shoah’, which means what?
A
‘destruction’ or ‘catastrophe’
14
Q
.It is estimated that _ million Jewish people died in the Holocaust
A
6
15
Q
What ddid the Nazis do to minorities?
A
- Exterminated half a million Roma Gypsies
- Put a quarter of a million mentally ill and disabled people to death
- Sterilised deaf people
- Imprisoned homosexuals
- Considered that Slavic people were sub-human and intended to starve up to 30 million Soviet civilians and prisoners of war
16
Q
What is the Lutheran church?
A
Protestant denomination that has its roots in the work of Martin Luther, who sought to reform the Western Church to what he considered a more biblical foundation
17
Q
Name some denomonations of christianity
A
.Pentecostal .Baptist .Catholic / Western orthodox .Methodist .Latter day saints (Mormons) .Jehovah’s Witnesses .Lutheran .Gospel .The New Church .Eastern orthodox – Russian and Greek .Evangelical Protestants .Fundamentalist .Church of England .Salvation Army
18
Q
Why could a theonomous approach be considered dangerous in Nazi germany?
A
‘Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities.’ Romans 13:1
19
Q
Difference between the protestant church pre and post nazi involvement?
A
Pre-Nazi protestant church – .Ministers .The Bible free to be interpreted .Presents a Christian message at services Reich Church – .Reich ministers .Nazi’s distortion of the Bible .Presents Nazi message at services
20
Q
Finish the Nazi propoganda, ‘Hitler’s fight and Luther’s …
A
… teaching are the best defence for the German people.’
21
Q
Describe the 3 different churches in Nazi germany
A
- German Christians – for the Nazi’s, had a distorted bible, presented Nazi message
Confessing Church – against the Nazi’s and opposed their doctrine
Catholic Church – initially suspicious of the Nazi’s but in the end stayed away from it all and were neutral
22
Q
What is Kirchenkampf?
A
- Kirchenkampf means ‘church struggle’ and refers to a debate and struggle for control between those who sought a ‘Nazified’ church and those who opposed it
23
Q
There are quotes from the Bible which suggest that the Nazi’s are in the right as they are the governing authority at the time, what are these quotes?
A
- ‘Then Jesus sad to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s”’ Mark 12:17
‘For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities and ministers of God, attending to this very thing’ Romans 13:6
‘Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities’ Romans 13:1
24
Q
What is the Barmen declaration?
A
a declaration that set out the basic belief of the Confessing Church in opposition to the Reich Church which was strongly influenced by Nazism. It was largely influenced by Karl Barth.
25
.Lutherans kept their public and private life separate, keeping their public life under the authority of what?
the state
26
Lutheran Christians in Germany generally did not attend public protests because they thought what?
that this amounted to trying to build God’s Kingdom by earthly efforts, and it was resisting the state
27
.Lutheran Christians believed that they could rely on God in the long run to sort things out, in the short term they thought a Christian’s duty in their public life was to what?
to follow the laws and commandments of their superiors
28
Who rejected the Lutheran understanding of public and private life?
Bonhoeffer
29
What is the private life of a Christian?
- Be a good father, mother, sister, brother etc.
- Go to Church
- Read the Bible
- Obey the Ten Commandments
- Rely on God to change the world
30
What is the public life of a christian?
- Be a good public servant, a good citizen
- Be obedient to the state and its orders
- Do what you are told to do because God has put the ruling authorities in place
- Be a good soldier, teacher, lawyer by following whoever is in charge
- Wait for God to change the world
31
What was Bonhoeffer's major shift in theology?
From separating your public and private life (Lutheran), to having both public and private life influenced by Jesus (Bonhoeffer)
32
Finish the Bonhoeffer quote, ‘There are not two realms of sacred and secular; ...
... there is one reality under the cross of Christ.’
33
In 1933 Bonhoeffer published a paper for the Churches called ‘The Church and the Jewish Question’. In it he suggested three courses of action, what are they?
1. The Church provides care for victims of injustice including Jews
2. The Church must protest and question the state rather than being silent
3. The Church must actively seek to disrupt the state when it was doing immoral things
34
What was the Barmen Declaration of Barmen 1934?
.The Barmen Declaration of Barmen 1934 was a document adopted by Christians in Nazi Germany who opposed the Deutsche Christen (German Christians) movement
.The German Christians had corrupted church government by making it subservient to the state and had introduced Nazi ideology into the German Protestant churches that contradicted the Christian Gospel
35
The Barmen Declaration includes six main ideas, what are they?
- The source of revelation is only the Word of God – Jesus Christ. Any other possible sources (for example, earthly powers) will not be accepted
- Jesus Christ is the only Lord for all aspects of personal life, there should be no other authority
- The message and order of the church should not be influenced by the current political convictions
- The Church should not be ruled by a leader, there is no hierarchy in the Church
- The state should not fulfil the task of the church and vice versa, State and Church are both limited to their own business
- Therefore, the Barmen Declaration rejects the subordination of the Church to the state
36
Finish the quote from the Barmen declaration, 'We reject the false doctrine, as though ...
... the Church in human arrogance could place the Word and work of the Lord in the service of any arbitrarily chosen desires, purposes, and plans.’
37
Who wrote the Barmen declaration?
.The declaration was mostly written by the Reformed theologian Karl Barth but underwent modification s a result of input from several Lutheran theologians
38
What did Bonhoeffer make of the Barmen declaration?
.Bonhoeffer agreed with this understanding
.The Church, he argued, must be separate from the state, not just a tool of the state
.Its job is to be under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and, if need be, protest at injustice and immorality
39
.Tragically many Christians in the Lutheran Church decided to not oppose Hitler
.Some even supported him, why?
since they thought that he was God’s instrument to unify Germany and persecute the Jews who were thought of as being guilty of killing Christ
40
.Bonhoeffer together with Christians who opposed Hitler, formed what?
the confessing Church
41
What does 'no rusty swords' mean?
Bonhoeffer’s metaphor to describe the out sworn ethical attitudes which the Church has used, and which now have no use today
42
What is civil disobedience?
- Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders or commands of a government
43
When approaching moral quandaries, there are two routes to take, what are they?
- Deontological – a theory, which focuses on the actions themselves being right or wrong
- Teleological – a theory, which focuses on the consequences or outcome of the actions being classed as right or wrong
44
What did Bohoeffer argue that Christians must do in the face of the western void?
a Christian was morally obliged to reject outdated attitudes of the Church
45
What is the western void?
The Western Void was Bonhoeffer’s term to mean the state of the Western secular world without Christianity
46
Bonhoeffer believed Christian ethics should be _____
distinctive
47
21st century scholar ____ ____ was heavily influenced by Bonhoeffer’s theology
Stanley Hauerwas
48
When considering the events occurring in Europe as a result of the Nazi State, the Christian Church clearly had not been effective
.Since many Christians believed that religion should be a purely private matter, they had not interfered with the state’s actions
.As a result of this, millions were suffering and living under oppression
.Bonhoeffer advocated for change, what did he say?
He said that there must be no more ‘rusty swords’
49
What did Bonhoeffer mean by 'rusty sword'?
By this he means attitudes that had become outdated
| .A Christian must be prepared to take on some guilt for others, following in Christ’s footsteps
50
Finish the Bonhoeffer quote, ‘No man in the whole world can change the truth. One ...
... can only look for the truth, find it and serve it. The truth is in all places.’
51
Duty to God and State in a Nutshell
- Many German Christians separated their lives into private and public, only in the private life was the Church significant, outside you must submit to the state which is God’s representative
- Many believed that it was God’s role to change the world, not the Christian
- Bonhoeffer rejected both these beliefs, the Christian life must be a seamless whole with no moral distinction being made between the public and private realms – he believed in ‘one realm’
- Sometimes responsible action might well be considered immoral, the Christian must be prepared to take on guilt for the sake of others
52
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience, Mark 12:17
'Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's'
Against
53
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience Romans 13:1
'Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.'
Against
54
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience Mark 2:17
'On hearing this, Jesus said to them. "It is not the healthy who need doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'
For
55
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience Luke 23:2
'We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.'
For
56
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience John 18:36
'My Kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders.'
Against
57
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience Matthew 20:16
'So the last will be first, and the first will be last.'
For
58
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience Luke 14:21
'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'
For
59
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience Matthew 25:44-45
'They also will answer "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?" He will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." '
For
60
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience Matthew 5:38-39
'You have heard that it was said. "Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth." But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.'
Against
61
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience Matthew 6:24
'No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.'
For
62
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience Matthew 26:52
'"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "For all who draw the sword will die by the sword."'
Against
63
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience Matthew 10:28
'Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul'
For
64
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience Matthew 5:9
'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.'
For and against
65
State the excerpt and whether it is for or against civil disobedience Matthew 19:21
'Jesus answered "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." '
For
66
Finish the Bonhoeffer quote, ‘Only those genuinely committed ...
... to peace-making have the moral authority to resort to violence as a last resort’
67
Define costly grace
the idea that the gift of grace demands a response of true, sacrificial discipleship – total abandonment to Christ and to be Christ-like in your attitude
68
Barth taught Bonhoeffer that if Christianity is to mean anything it ...
cannot just be the thought that counts
69
Barth’s notion of God is what?
it is not we who know God but God who chooses to reveal himself to us
.God’s revelation is not general but always a special act
70
Bonhoeffer agreed with Barth but argued what?
that his theology did not go far enough
71
Some people may conclude, as a result of Barth’s teaching, that we can wait passively until God reveals himself, what did Bonhoeffer liken this to?
Bonhoeffer likened this to the Pharisees who were very good at listening to God’s commands but not doing anything about them
72
What happens in Mary and Martha (Luke 10: 38-42)?
1. Jesus arrives in a town
2. He is invited to Martha’s house
3. Martha is too busy sorting the house
4. Mary listens to Jesus’ teachings
5. Martha is annoyed by her sisters lack of help
6. ‘Mary’, says Jesus, ‘focuses on the right thing.’
7. The thing is God
73
In Mary and Marth, what does Martha represent?
- German Christians
- Focus on the state
- Ignore the persecution of millions
- Go to mass and are good citizens
74
In Mary and Martha, what does Mary represent?
- What Bonhoeffer thought German Christians should be
| - Putting God first
75
What does James 2: 14-26 teach?
State a quote from the passage
.Essentially – practice what you preach
| ‘So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.’
76
Difference between costly grace and cheap grace?
Costly Grace –
.To receive the gift of grace you need to be prepared for sacrifice, this is what is known as active discipleship
Cheap Grace –
.Many German Christians were too resistant to getting involved, they were far too passive – the passive approach
.As they go to mass and follow the law they are expecting to go straight to heaven
77
Finish the quote from The Cost of Discipleship, ‘Cheap grace is the preaching of ...
... forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without Church disciple, communion without confession.’
78
Why does discipleship cost? Was Bonhoeffer prepared to do this?
Discipleship costs since we must be obedient to Christ’s commands, true grace is costly grace, not cheap grace – it involves sacrifice and suffering
Sometimes the Christian must be prepared to sacrifice his or her own innocence and take on guilt for the sake of others
.If a Christin truly believes in Jesus’ words, they will do anything to achieve the Kingdom of God
.Bonhoeffer was certainly prepared to do this
79
What is fikenwalde?
The religious community Bonhoeffer set up for the training of ministers of the Confessing Church. It aimed to develop practical Christian living as a community of disciples, and encourage Christian virtues, most importantly self-discipline.
80
What did Bonhoeffer write about in Life Together?
Bonhoeffer, in Life Together, writes that community is not something to be taken for granted
.In the book, he detailed the necessity of the church functioning as a living and vibrant organism, what he called a ‘community of love’
81
Psalms 133:1
‘Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.’
82
.In Act and Being, Bonhoeffer states that the church community, not some philosophical or theological system of thought, “is God’s final revelation as ‘Christ existing in community’”, what does this mean?
In other words, Christians should not wait for a revelation from God before they do something, but because they are continuously and prayerfully considering what is right, it is possible that God has already revealed his will to them and they need to summon up the courage to take the appropriate action
83
Describe Finkenwalde
.Eight years prior to his death Bonhoeffer was leading an underground seminary in a remote place called Finkenwalde
.There he taught his theology of the Cost of Discipleship, much of which is a commentary on the Sermon on the Mount
.He and his students lived in community the daily rhythms of life and prayer which written about in his short book Life Together
.They key elements of this community which was shut down in 1937 were discipline, meditation, community for others, the bible and brotherhood
84
Finish the quote from Finkenwalde Students’ Letter to Supporters (October 1935), ’The Bible stands at ...
... the centre of our work. It has once again become the point of departure and the centre of our theological work and all of our Christian activity.’
85
In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus talks of salt and us being light of the earth what is this a metaphor for?
he is calling us the most valuable aspect of the world
86
2. Bonhoeffer believed Christians inside the church should do/be like what?
Should be a supportive and challenging community
.Christians should live a disciplined physical and spiritual life
.The community of believers were accountable to each other
.This could help with working out the will of God, or challenging eccentric interpretations of texts
87
Bonhoeffer believed those outside the Church should do/be like what?
The Church should exist for others just as Jesus was a man for others
.The Church should be outward looking – the salt and light of the world
88
Finish the quote from Letters from Papers from Prisoners, 'The Church is her ...
... true self when she exists for humanity.'
89
3. Bonhoeffers views have been influenced by the passage from Matthew 5, how?
as they teach to be good and do good – much like Matthew 5 teaches to do good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven
90
Bonhoeffer thought that the Church needed to understand that the world is Religionless and they must work within that context, what is religionless context?
- Being in a world that has moved beyond the superstitions that religion brings with it
- Needing to react to what society has replaced these superstitions with, such as Nazi ideologies
- Having to life itself beyond both its own past and current challenges
- Needing to be rid of ‘rusty sword’ – Bonhoeffer’s ideas that ethics needs to be reinterpreted and move forward
91
Bonhoeffer provocatively argued ‘Christianity and ethics do ...
... indeed have nothing to do with another.’
92
How did the Sermon on the Mount influence Bonhoeffers seminary?
- The ethic of enemy love was to Bonhoeffer the summit of the mount and his seminary at Finkenwalde was a training outpost for Christ-like passive resistors, he trained his students to use spiritual weapons and not take up the world’s weapons of war
93
What were Finkenwalde's main practices?
Brotherhood, discipline, bible, meditation, community for others
94
Describe and explain brotherhood as a main practice of finkenwalde
- The community is bound together by love of and for Christ which is sustained by the Holy Spirit
- Bonhoeffer insisted the director of the seminary change often so they did not become stuck in their ways
95
Describe and explain discipline as a main practice of finkenwalde
- Discipline of oneself is the foundation of the Church
| - Discipline leads to action
96
Describe and explain bible as a main practice of finkenwalde
- Frequent reading and discussion of the Bible is at the heart of Christian daily life
- Evening lectures encourage intelligent understanding and development of Christian teaching
97
Describe and explain meditation as a main practice of finkenwalde
- Discipline is developed through meditation
98
Describe and explain community for others as a main practice of finkenwalde
- Bonhoeffer insisted that the Church is a community of the forgiven not of the righteous because no one is perfect
- Christ died for all human beings
99
Church as Community and Source of Spiritual Discipline in a Nutshell
* The Church should not be a place where Christians go to hide from the world, in it they must be trained to be Disciples of Christ
* The Church is a community which works together, prays together, worships together
* Solidarity has been shown to us and given to us by Christ, he has bound all of mankind together and taken on the guilt of everyone, just like him we must be prepared to shoulder each other’s sins and become guilty for the sake of others
100
Define solidarity
the idea that Christians must be ‘for others’
101
Finish the Bonhoeffer quote, 'I am afraid that ...
… Christians who dare to stand with only one leg on Earth stand with only one leg in heaven.’
102
What does Luke 14:25-35 mean?
Discipleship is very difficult, you must think carefully before you choose its path
103
Finish the quote from Luke 14, 'And whoever does not carry their cross ..
… and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?'
104
Galatians 3:28
‘There is no Jew of Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’
105
What did Bonhoeffer think of Galatians 3:28?
.Bonhoeffer agreed with this and thought that implied that mankind itself – all people – were made one in Christ
.’Solidarity’ means you have a sense of intense loyalty to others, and that you identify with each other
.Just as God has identified with mankind in Christ, we identify with each other
106
Does Bonhoeffer Place too much Emphasis on Suffering? Yes
Christianity is about more than just sacrifice, e.g. Bonhoeffer is putting sacrifice over the importance of scriptural study
The western world is not in a state of war at the moment
Bonhoeffer was too radical – the Confessing Church’s approach to helping those who were suffering was better
107
Does Bonhoeffer Place too much Emphasis on Suffering? No
Luke 14:25-35
260 million Christians today are still persecuted for their religious beliefs
It is a part of being a disciple – ‘pick up your cross and follow me’
Finkenwalde was a place to develop as a Christian community – this was a positive point of Bonhoeffer’s theology
108
‘The will of God goes before anything else.’ For, each individuals circumstances
For Bonhoeffer, each individual has to try to work out what God’s will is in the circumstances they find themselves in. Bonhoeffer writes: “The nature of God’s will can only be made clear in the moment of action.” This means that we must confront every significant decision on a case by case basis, and that no general rules of the Church can replace the individual’s responsibility to try to work out what God’s will is for his or her life.
109
‘The will of God goes before anything else.’ For, Jesus' disciples
Bonhoeffer would also argue that Jesus’ disciples are excellent models of what following God’s will involves. They showed obedience to god’s will and his commands, including a willingness to give up everything for God. The Gospels all highlight the disciple’s willingness to leave their jobs, homes, and families to follow Jesus. Their actions highlight that Christians should be obedient to God’s will and commitment is shown through their moral actions.
110
‘The will of God goes before anything else.’ For, Finkenwalde
The Finkenwalde community was a clear example that Bonhoeffer expected obedience to God from the disciples there. Bonhoeffer believed in strict discipline in the community. There were regular and extensive Bible readings, times of meditation. The day started and ended with worship which allowed people to know God’s will.
111
‘The will of God goes before anything else.’ For, obediance to will vs obediance to state
Bonhoeffer shows that obedience to God’s will was far more important than obedience to the state. He writes, “There are not two realities but only one, and that is God’s reality revealed in Christ in the reality of the world.” This means Christians must involve themselves in the public arena, but continue to be Christians and apply Christian principles.
112
‘The will of God goes before anything else.’ For, Jesus provides a model
Bonhoeffer would argue that Jesus provides a model of following God’s will, exemplified by his willing sacrifice and death for a greater cause. Furthermore, we come to know God’s will through Jesus’ actions with poor, oppressed, and marginalised. We should be obedient to God’s will and try and emulate this in our lives.
113
‘The will of God goes before anything else.’ Against, what is God's will?
There is debate within Christianity regarding Bonhoeffer’s view of what God’s will was. This suggest that it is not always possible to know God’s will. Bonhoeffer practised civil disobedience and possibly was part of the attempt to assassinate Hitler. Bonhoeffer wrote that the “worldly order is subject to the commandment of God.” However, this approach seems inconsistent with the person of Jesus and his actions as a pacifist.
114
‘The will of God goes before anything else.’ Against, slippery slope
Bonhoeffer writes: “The nature of God’s will can only be made clear in the moment of action”. However, this approach has been criticised since it is a slippery slope to justifying all sorts of actions and claim that it is the will of God. Many religious extremists could interpret this as justification for acts of violence and terror.
115
‘The will of God goes before anything else.’ Against, Freud
Bonhoeffer’s “knowing in the moment of action” could simply be the voice of the conscience. Sigmund Freud argues that conscience is not the voice or will of God. Freud would argue that this voice is based on our upbringing and guilt and it cannot be interpreted as the will of God.
116
‘The will of God goes before anything else.’ Against, Augustine and Barth
St Augustine argued that the Fall corrupted man’s reason. Humans are essentially fallen creatures who are controlled by lust. Due to this Augustine argues that knowledge of God’s will is impossible. Karl Barth would agree and argue that to know God’s will we need the Bible, Church, and our reason. Without these sources of guidance our corrupt nature would mean we are unable to know God’s will fully.
117
‘The will of God goes before anything else.’ Against, Bonhoeffer's actions
Bonhoeffer was criticised for his own actions. He changed direction in his life from being a parish priest, then a theologian, then a member of the Confessing Church and then a member of the resistance. If it was possible for him to know God’s will, why did he keep changing direction?
118
‘A Christian should never practice civil disobedience.’ For, slippery slope
Many Christians would argue that practising civil disobedience leads to a slippery slope. In other words, peaceful civil disobedience often leads to violent rebellion. It is a nice idea to think that we can challenge authority in a peaceful and productive way. However, the reality is that society runs far more smoothly when everyone is pulling in the same direction. By allowing civil disobedience or we then allowing anarchy?
119
‘A Christian should never practice civil disobedience.’ For, St Paul and the church
The Church has agreed with St Paul on the necessity of obeying authority. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “Human society can be neither well-ordered nor prosperous unless it has some people invested with legitimate authority to preserve its institutions”. In simpler terms, society needs leaders to establish law and order.
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‘A Christian should never practice civil disobedience.’ For, Mark
The Gospel of Mark implies that the worldly authority is to be respected since Jesus said: "Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." The Romans were an occupying power, yet Jesus is still telling the Jewish people to give taxes that ultimately support Rome. This account supports the view that it is not your responsibility to defy the state, instead our giving to God should be a personal affair.
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‘A Christian should never practice civil disobedience.’ For, St Paul and the Romans
In St Paul’s letter to the Romans he commands the Christian community to follow the state: “All of you must obey the government rulers. Everyone who rules was given the power to rule by God.” At the time of St Paul’s writing the ruling authority was Nero, one of the worst tyrants of all time. If Paul could command Christians to obey Nero, then, why not Hitler? Many German Christians must have thought that in the long run, God would sort it all out- their duty, in the interim, was to obey the state.
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‘A Christian should never practice civil disobedience.’ For, Aquinas
St Thomas Aquinas argues that one of the Primary Precepts of Natural Law is to live in an orderly society. For this to happen we must establish secondary precepts that demand civil obedience not civil disobedience. We have a rule of law and an elected hierarchy of power so that society can function properly. If Christians practice civil disobedience, then they are actively working against the Natural Law.
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‘A Christian should never practice civil disobedience.’ Against, justified
Bonhoeffer thought that the Christian is justified in defying the state, and so participating in civil disobedience. Initially, however, he was attracted, like most Germans, to the view that in your private life you have a duty to God, but in the public life you must obey the authorities. With the rise of Hitler, Bonhoeffer thought that this understanding was totally inadequate.
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‘A Christian should never practice civil disobedience.’ Against, Mark
The Gospel of Mark indicates that Jesus seemed to advocate civil disobedience whilst in the Temple in Jerusalem. "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves."
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‘A Christian should never practice civil disobedience.’ Against, unjust laws
If a state imposes a law which is unjust and does not promote the common good, then, the Christian no longer is required to obey it. For example, in Britain at various times in history the Catholic Mass was banned and there were severe penalties for priests who celebrated Mass. Here Catholics disobeyed the state, and secretly priests defied the state. In many large houses in England there are ‘priest holes’– secret rooms for priests to hide in if the authorities raided the house.
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‘A Christian should never practice civil disobedience.’ Against, Catechism
The Catechism of the Catholic Church makes it clear that the state’s authority should only be recognised if it is seeking the common good and does nothing immoral in the pursuit of the common good. “Authority is exercised legitimately only when it seeks the common good… If rulers were to enact unjust laws or take measures contrary to the moral order, such arrangements would not be binding in conscience.”
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‘A Christian should never practice civil disobedience.’ Against, Assasinate Hitler
Bonhoeffer practised civil disobedience and possibly was part of the attempt to assassinate Hitler. Bonhoeffer wrote that the ‘worldly order is subject to the commandment of God.’ In other words, the Christian has a higher duty than the state – he or she must ensure that God’s will is being followed. Bonhoeffer set up the Finkenwalde seminary to ensure this was being done.
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Does Bonhoeffer’s Theology have any Relevance Today? key areas to focus on
- Difference between historical context and today
- Decline or religion, western void
- Civil disobedience
- Church as an example to the world
- Solidarity with the oppressed
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Does Bonhoeffer’s Theology have any Relevance Today? Yes, persecution
- There are many worldly leaders who do not promote Christian values or give Christians living in their countries the opportunity to express their faith, it is estimated around 260 million Christians are still persecuted across the world
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Does Bonhoeffer’s Theology have any Relevance Today? Yes, injustice
- There are all sorts of injustices (inequalities of wealth, discrimination, prejudice) that Jesus would not approve of, therefore, one can still justify civil disobedience on Bonhoeffer’s grounds
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Does Bonhoeffer’s Theology have any Relevance Today? Yes, outcasts
- There are still many outcasts in the world, and therefore we show solidarity with them – refugees, etc… ‘love thy neighbour’ is a key Christian message
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Does Bonhoeffer’s Theology have any Relevance Today? Yes, Bible
- Bible messages are absolute and universal, Bonhoeffers teachings are inspired by scripture therefore they are still relevant today
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Does Bonhoeffer’s Theology have any Relevance Today? Yes, salt and light
- Bonhoeffer’s view that dangerous ideologies arise to fill the vacuum created by the decline of Christianity is accurate, today we see capitalism and consumerism replace Christian values about love and compassion – these ideas corrupt society, Church should be ‘salt’ and ‘light’ illuminating sinful society
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Does Bonhoeffer’s Theology have any Relevance Today? Yes, civil disobedience can be justified
- Civil disobedience can be justified, a total commitment to the will of God is relevant in any society and at any time, Christians should embrace the will of God, we still have a duty to God and not to the state
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Does Bonhoeffer’s Theology have any Relevance Today? No, costly grace
- Costly grace is an ambiguous term when applied to specific situations, how exactly can it help you decide what to do? It could lead to moral relativism
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Does Bonhoeffer’s Theology have any Relevance Today? No, not comparable
- The suffering experiences by the Jews in Nazi Germany is not comparable to modern situations, no current leader is as evil as Hitler and therefore Bonhoeffer’s ideas only make sense in their historical context
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Does Bonhoeffer’s Theology have any Relevance Today? No, Bible
- There are specific bible verses that challenge Bonhoeffer’s views on costly grace and suffering: John 3:16, ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’
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Does Bonhoeffer’s Theology have any Relevance Today? No, irrelevant in modern secular society
- Irrelevant in modern secular society, sets an unrealistic bar to have to give everything up – not everyone receives grace, grace is given freely and not as a reward for action or belief
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Does Bonhoeffer’s Theology have any Relevance Today? No, Jesus paid the price
- Jesus has paid the price for grace, why do we need to do the same? Messages about total obedience to God can be dangerous and lead to extremism
