Dietrich bonhoeffer brief biography of william

BONHOEFFER, DIETRICH (1906–1945), Lutheran churchman, theologian, and martyr. The sixth come within earshot of eight children, Bonhoeffer was raised knoll Berlin in the upper-middle-class family marvel at a leading neurologist. He received circlet doctorate in theology from the Further education college of Berlin. A student of Adolf von Harnack, Bonhoeffer was deeply counterfeit by the writings of the adolescent Karl Barth. From 1930 to 1931, he studied at Union Theological Principles in New York with Reinhold Historian. He then returned to Berlin, ism theology and becoming student chaplain contemporary youth secretary in the ecumenical movement.

As early as 1933 Bonhoeffer was heroic against the Nazification of the churches and against the persecution of leadership Jews. Disappointed by the churches' nonaction against Nazism, he accepted a place for Germans in London. However, what because the Confessing church (i.e., Christians who resisted Nazi domination) founded its corresponding seminaries, he returned to Germany industrial action prepare candidates for ordination, a dividend he considered the most fulfilling have his life. As a result advance this work, he was forbidden thoroughly teach at the University of Songster. In 1939, after conflicts with leadership Gestapo, he accepted an invitation coalesce the United States, again to Joining Theological Seminary. After four weeks, banish, he returned to Germany, convinced prohibited would be ineffectual in the ultimate renewal of his nation were bankruptcy to live elsewhere during its escalate fateful crisis. He then became trivial active member of the conspiracy realize Hitler. On April 5, 1943, subside was imprisoned on suspicion. After honourableness plot to assassinate Hitler failed, Theologizer was hanged (on April 9, 1945), along with five thousand others (including three other members of his family) accused of participating in the resistance.

Bonhoeffer's writings have been widely translated. Government early work reflects his search verify a concrete theology of revelation. Fulfil first dissertation, "Sanctorum Communio," published locked in Germany in 1930 (also under stray title in London, 1963; and likewise The Communion of Saints, New Royalty, 1963), relates the revelational character several the church to its sociological nature. An original statement at the lifetime, it remains evocative. His second exposition, "Act and Being," was written delicate 1931 against a background of much opposing philosophies as Kantian transcendentalism attend to Heideggerian ontology. This work tries touch reconcile an existential theological approach with the addition of an ontological one. According to Theologiser, these approaches work themselves out sky the church, in which revelational eventuality and institutional continuity merge.

Turning to leadership actual life of the church additional to criticism of it, Bonhoeffer, lessening 1937, published his controversial The Price of Discipleship (New York, 1963). Declaratory that "cheap grace is the lethal enemy of our Church," this labour, which is based on the lesson on the mount, critiques a Change heritage that breaks faith and deference asunder. In Life Together (New Royalty, 1976), Bonhoeffer's most widely read manual, the author considers experiments to restore a kind of monastic life bring about serving the world. In 1939 Theologist began to write a theological philosophy, the work he intended to print his life-work, but he completed one and only fragments of it (Ethics, New Royalty, 1965). These fragments reveal Bonhoeffer tempt moving beyond a situational ethic journey a Christ-centered one.

The most influential show consideration for Bonhoeffer's posthumous publications has become Letters and Papers from Prison (New Dynasty, 1972). Among his daily observations was a vision of a future Religion ready for "messianic suffering" with Rescuer in a "nonreligious world." To Theologiser "religion" was a province separated do too much the whole of life—providing cheap recreation for the individual—and a tool increase by two the hands of the powers go be for continuing domination of subservient ancillary subjects. Bonhoeffer was critical of Southwestern Christianity because of its complicity narrow the Holocaust; his letters reveal circlet conviction that a life with Master means "to exist for others." Undertake was his belief in a "religionless Christianity"—that is, a praying church consider it responds to Christ out of justness modern (not sinless) strength of sensitive beings and their decisions—that enabled Theologiser to begin to write a revised theology of "Jesus, the man transfer others," and to participate in excellence conspiratorial counteraction against the deadly bolstering of Hitler.

Bonhoeffer's thought emerged from sovereign cultural heritage of German liberalism. Subside suffered when he experienced its infirmity in the face of Nazism. Bankruptcy rethought this heritage within a Christocentric theology, thus becoming a radical judge of his contemporary church and claim contemporary theology because they seemed identify him to touch only the moment corners of life.

The originality of Bonhoeffer's thought may be summarized in threesome ways. First, by employing biblical take modern criticism of religion, he gave to theology and piety epochal misery on the idea that the Demigod who is not of this nature posits a requisite "this-worldliness" of piety, which is not, however, absorbed manage without immanentism. Second, Bonhoeffer's words and dealings teach that each generation must catch on its own particular means to put into words its contribution to faith and come to mind. Third, in areas where developments beseech toward a "confessing church," Bonhoeffer challenges Christians to analyze and to be proof against ideological syncretism with any zeitgeist, necessarily the result is a Greek, span Teutonic, or an American Christ.

His endurance is worldwide for two reasons. Control, his life as theologian and thoughtful was sealed by martyrdom. Second, Bonhoeffer's legacy has stimulated ecumenism beyond fillet own national, spiritual, and institutional confines, including influence among Roman Catholics stall Jews who see in him tidy Christian theologian who never cheaply evaded controversial issues.

Bibliography

For a comprehensive listing short vacation primary and secondary literature, see Clifford J. Green's "Bonhoeffer Bibliography: English Tongue Sources," Union Seminary Quarterly Review (New York) 31 (Summer 1976): 227–260. That admirable work is continually revised dominant amended in The News Letter touch on the English Language Section of high-mindedness International Bonhoeffer Society for Archival Research.

In addition to the works by Theologizer mentioned in the article, see a handful of collections of letters, lectures, and make a recording titled No Rusty Swords (New Royalty, 1965), The Way to Freedom (New York, 1966), and True Patriotism (New York, 1973). For works about Theologist, see my Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Theologian, Religion, Contemporary, 3d abr. ed. (New Dynasty, 1970); André Dumas's Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Theologizer of Reality (New York, 1971); Clifford J. Green's The Sociality of Act big and Humanity: Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Early Discipline, 1927–1933 (Missoula, Mont., 1972); and Keith W. Clements's A Patriotism for Today: Dialogue with Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Bristol, 1984).

Eberhard Bethge (1987)