German pastor, theologian, and leader of the Confessing Church who later suffered martyrdom by the Nazis. Though he has left us only a number of occasional writings rather than a systematic exposition of his theology, he "remains one of the most provocative voices in contemporary Christianity."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was son to a famous neurologist. He studies philosophy and theology in TÜbingen and Berlin under some of the most famous liberal Protestant theologists, including Deissmann and Harnack. Later, as a Lutheran pastor he served German congregations in Barcelona and London, as well as spending a spell at Union Theological Seminary in New York. At about this time he began to turn against his liberal training and became attracted to Karl Barth's teaching (they eventually parted ways theologically). Already deeply disturbed by the fast rising tide of Nazism, Barth and a number of other like-minded leaders formed the Confessing Church and in 1934 published the Barmen Declaration to voice their concerns and disagreement with the German Christians who were being swept over into the nationalist and racist ideology of Hitler. He founded a Confessing Church seminary but it was ordered closed by the Nazis after a short time. During WWII his opposition to Hitler led him into involvment in the resistence movement; in 1943, however, he was arrested by the Gestapo (the Nazi security police) on charges of conspiring to assassinate Hitler. He was shot on 9 Apr 1945 at the camp in Flossenbürg, just a few days before the camp was liberated by Allied forces. By the nature of such things, we cannot know for certain the actual depth of his involvement in the plot. If he had not actually participated in the planning of the attempt, he certainly provided a great deal of moral support; not to do something about Hilter is, he says, to ask others to do the dirty work for us.
A writer of profound spiritual reflection, many of his writings have been translated into English. Probably the most popular include The Cost of Discipleship, Life Together, Letters and Papers from Prison, and Creation and Fall. But he could also easily, and has been, mis-understood. E.g., such expressions from his work like "worldly Christianity," "religionless Christianity," "man come of age," and "cheap grace" are often pandered about in ways he probably never meant. "He lived through a critical phase of European political and intellectual history, and condenses many of its tragedies in his own life."
Further Reading:
D. Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
D. Bonfoeffer, Life Together
D. Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison
D. Bonhoeffer, Creation and Fall
D. Bonhoeffer, Ethics
M. Bosanquet, The Life and Death of Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1968
Mary Bosanquet, The Life and Death of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (New York: Harper & Row, 1968).
E. Bethge, Dietrich Bohnhoeffer: Man of Vision, Man of Courage 1970
Dallas M. Roark, Dietrich Bonfoeffer (Word Incorporated, 1972).Religion Online. This is a full reproduction of the book about Bonfoeffer's life, theology, and work.
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Resources:
Ralf K. Wüstenberg, "Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Theology and Philosophy," Anvil 12.1 (1995): 45-56.
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Bonhoeffer: Agent Of Grace. 2000, Full Movie. Starring Ulrich Tukur, Johanna Klante, and Robert Joy. This link to Youtube is provided in good faith. If you know it to be illegally uploaded please inform us. Youtube N
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