Dietrich Bonhoeffer Flashcards
What led to Bonhoeffer to study theology?
- In 1918 his brother Walter was killed in action
- Led him to study theology despite not being a Church going family
- At age 13 he had a vision of how the church should be transformed
What was Bonhoeffers thinking at university like?
- 1923 he studied at Tubingen Uni and moved to Berlin 1 year later
- 1930 he completed his PHD in ‘act and being’ where he wanted the Church to challenge for Justice
- Believed German society had misinterpreted Luthers teaching as disobeying state = disobeying God
- Bonhoeffer had a more radical interpretation of Luther
How did Bonhoeffers thinking develop when he went to America?
- Sep 1930 he went to NY where he worked with influential theologians
- He was impressed by teaching of Christian social responsibility but thought they lacked faith in goodness of human nature
- He was introduced to black churches, more vibrant and different to Lutherian
- He concluded that Churches needed to develop relations despite geographical and racial tensions (PRE-HITLER HE WANTED REFORM)
When did Bonhoeffer give a radio announcement against Hitler?
1st Feb 1933 ‘The Younger Generations altered view of the concept of the Fuhrer’
- He criticised the ‘leadership principle’ and its effects on the Church
- Before he asserted that Hitler was a ‘misleader’ and the only authority was God he was cut off by the state
In what two ways was Bonhoeffer an enemy of the state after his radio announcement?
1) Became a member of the Confessing Church which was a group of clergy which rejected the notion of only Aryans could be members of the Church
2) He joined the resistance (widerstand) as he stayed n NY during Gestapo investigations
What did Bonhoeffer do to prevent serving in Hitler’s evil army?
- June 1939 visited NY as a lecturer
Why did Bonhoeffer change his view on being a pacifist?
- He realised that pacifism was secular and would not prepare Christianity for the Kingdom of God
- This pacifism was a secular view and not a Christian one
Why did Bonhoeffer call secular pacifism a scandal?
- It does not realise that Justice and Peace are not aspects of the world
- Secular Pacifism could not take on evil that perpetuates lies and injustice
What was the ‘terrible alternative’? (Quote)
- Choice to join the resistance was not intrinsically good, it was a terrible alternative in a world where all choices have bad consequences
“I must live through this difficult period… with the Christian people of Germany” - Letter to Reinhold Niebuhr - 1940 joined counter intelligence section with Hans Dohnangi
What did Bonhoeffer seek to explain in his unfinished work ‘ethics’?
- How Christian Ethics are different to Human Ethics
- He was against ethics with ideologies as they are an extension of human ideas to justify their use of power on others
- Christian ethics understands that humans are finite and sinful and no human decision can be absolutely right or wrong
What was Bonhoeffer’s Christian Ethics influenced by? (Quote Luther)
- Existential theologian Søren Kierkegaard says we cannot do anything but act out of despair with faith and hope
“Here I stand; I can do no other” - Luther - Killing Hitler was the only option for the Church despite it being wrong
What did Bonhoeffer believe about the duty to the state?
- Agreed that it was duty to follow a government that imposes law on a sinful human
- In practice however the state is too powerful and defines justice and allow policies for own self-gain
- The state fails to be obedient to Gods will and the stare cannot represent Gods will and therefore the church must keep them in check
What are the two kingdoms ordained by God that a person must follow?
- Spiritual kingdom of Christ governed by the Church
- Political kingdom of the world governed by the state
Quote Mark and Romans on obeying the state?
“Give to the emperor the things that are the emperors, and to God the things that are Gods” - Mark 12:17
“those authorities that exist have been instituted by God” - Romans 13:1
Bonhoeffer is concerned with obeying Gods will, what are his ideas on this?
- The will of God is only clear ‘in the moment of action’ as you act out of faith and submit to Gods will
“only clear in the moment of action” - No Rusty Swords