Comparison Of Bonhoeffer's Act And Being

At the heart of Bonhoeffer's theological method is the recognition that we must approach Christ from a position of faith and that this confession then guides our theological reflection and action . In other words, according to Bonhoeffer, Christ must be the starting point or "centre" of what frames all theological method, conclusions and considerations , which would ultimately lead him to the establishment of ‘person Theology’ in his dissertation ‘Act and Being” . Likewise, Moltmann had no desire to be a disciple of any of the great theological giants of the past. Rather his desire was to be a vessel for people to be stimulated to discovering theology for themselves by seeking the end to questions that each person uniquely has, which in turn
However, he took them a step further by seeking to understand and live out what the social intentions of the Gospel meant for his society . As a result, the areas of Christology, Ecclesiology, Ethics, Spiritual life, Political and Social Justice are bound together by the principle that Christ indwells the church community via the spirit and guides how the church members are empowered by and must engage with society . In other words, theology is the communication between members of the body of Christ as they navigate the challenges of their unique societal issues and situation. Moltmann would agree with Bonhoeffer by arguing that theology must be done in the community within each different society because it is impossible and naive to say a theological position must be valid in all places and at all times throughout history. This indeed is self-centred thinking as opposed to Kingdom thinking. Moltmann’s theology seeks to show how God’s presence is interacting in a particular community according to the telling of God’s history within it . It is clear that both Moltmann’s and Bonhoeffer's theology is multilayered, multifaceted and ecumenical that incorporates the elements of Eschatology, Theodicy, Ecclesiology, Doctrine of God, Creation, Political Theology, Christology, and Pneumatology that is driven by
Furthermore, it was a response to what questions they are asking in response to their unique places in history . As such we need to start with our own existential theology. It is important to take into consideration, on the one hand, the anguish and pain of Bonhoeffer's pre and during World War 2 experiences seeking to find the place of the corporate church in relation to society. On the other hand, we must consider Moltmann’s during and post war experiences that were the driving forces that led to him crying out to God on a personal level seeking answers to the problem of pain and suffering that he was experiencing. As a result, we need to take into what is shaping us at a particular point in history in conversation with the theologians of the today and the past to inform our eschatological picture today and responding