Dietrich Bonhoeffer Research Paper
It is hard to imagine the sheer amount of faith necessary for the willingness to sacrifice one’s own safety for the sake of someone else. Various Christian witnesses have demonstrated this faith all throughout the millennia, including – probably most obviously – St. Joan of Arc or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. However, one man who perhaps best exemplifies absolute Christian faith and martyrdom in recent decades is Dietrich Bonhoeffer. His life is the story of a man who essentially sacrificed an opportunity for a peaceful and quiet life as a pastor for the sake of the oppressed, despite having no reason to do so, other than his own conscience. His life, as it will soon be explained, was an incredibly remarkable one, and one that closely demonstrated him to be among the noblest of Christian witnesses. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born February 4, 1906, in Breslau, Germany, which today is in Poland
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(“Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction 395). Growing up with seven other siblings, Bonhoeffer came from a large and well-to-do family, with his father as a neurologist. Obviously an intellectually gifted man, he graduated with a theology doctorate from the University of Berlin in 1927, only twenty-one years old (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of World Biography 390). He went on to study at Union Theological Seminary in New York in the first year of the 1930s, after which he returned to Germany (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of World Biography 390). Well-equipped for a life studying God, Bonhoeffer – Dr. Bonhoeffer – became “a Lutheran pastor in 1931” and then began a career as a theology professor at the University of Berlin ("Bonhoeffer, Dietrich" Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction 395). Furthermore, he “spent his early years in the ministry in part in Berlin and in part in London” ("Bonhoeffer, Dietrich" Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction 395). Such is a succinct summary of his early life and early career. Although not unremarkable, his life was without doubt comfortable and for the most part normal, until 1933 arrived and saw the complete reversal of this man’s entire existence. 1933 saw the rise of one of history’s most infamous tyrants: Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime. This was a regime of which “Bonhoeffer was one of the first German Protestants to see the demonic implications” (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer”, Encyclopedia of World Biography 390). Bonhoeffer left his England ministry for good in 1936 and returned to Germany in order to voice his anti-Nazi sentiment by becoming involved with “the Confessional Church”, an anti-Nazi organization for Lutheran pastors and other members of the ministry (“Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction 395). The Gestapo – the Nazi secret police – shut the organization down in 1937-1938; nevertheless, Bonhoeffer considered his decision to remain in Germany in the midst of all its evil and involve himself in anti-Nazi movements “the most fulfilling of his life” (Eberhard Bethge, “Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of Religion 1016). Following the organization’s disbandment, Bonhoeffer went again to America to be out of reach of the Germans, but returned soon thereafter in order to fully bear the same burdens as the people trapped under the Nazis (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer”, Encyclopedia of World Biography 390). Bonhoeffer soon became involved in an anti-Nazi movement led by Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, a Nazi intelligence elite who was also a double agent, who commissioned Bonhoeffer to communicate with Allied churches (“Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction page 395-396). Bonhoeffer was arrested in April of 1943 when the Nazis suspected him of illegal activities (Bethge “Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of Religion page 1016). He continued to write while in prison, further developing his unique and subversive theology – about which there will be some discussion later – much of which was eventually published in 1951 as Letters and Papers from Prison ("Dietrich Bonhoeffer." Encyclopedia of the Holocaust). The proof the Nazis needed came when they discovered Bonhoeffer’s – and Canaris’ – complicity in a plot (known as the July 20th plot) against Hitler’s life (“Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction page 396). Bonhoeffer was subsequently executed – by hanging – at Flossenbürg concentration camp on April 9, 1945. Less than two months later, Hitler committed suicide, the Third Reich collapsed, and the War in the west came to an end.
Needless to say, Dietrich Bonhoeffer led an incredible – if short – life. Despite the brevity of his life, his developed a theology that is, to say the very least, immensely complicated. However, it is what serves as a strong testament to this man’s legacy. Bonhoeffer wrote a variety of works between the years 1930 until his death. Some famous titles include: Sanctorum Communio (1930), Act and Being (1931), The Cost of Discipleship (1937), and Life Together, and through these Bonhoeffer articulates some of his most complicated theology. These works, furthermore, have been translated into a variety of languages, and his complex theology continues to challenge people’s own beliefs today, as “it remains evocative” (Bethge “Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of Religion page 1017). Furthermore, his own martyrdom lends a special aura to his legacy (Bethge “Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of Religion page 1017). The idea of martyrdom generally conjures up images of early Christians dying in arenas at the hands of the Romans. The fact that Bonhoeffer died a martyr at the hands of a much more recent empire makes martyrdom, as this source implies, much more applicable and tangible today (Bethge “Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of Religion page 1017). Moreover, his legacy permeates into today “in the post-Holocaust rethinking of Christian relationships with the Jewish people” (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of the Holocaust). Consequently, one can see that Bonhoeffer’s legacy – especially with regard to his writings, his death, and his theology – abound well into the present age.
Understanding Bonhoeffer’s theology is certainly not easy. What might be the most important fact to consider is that “Bonhoeffer came from a Christian tradition that saw the Jews as accursed”, but Bonhoeffer deviated from this worldview and even drew parallels between Nazism and the Christian Church (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of the Holocaust). More specifically, Bonhoeffer sought to establish similarities between Jews and Christians despite the beliefs of many Germans during his time, and “in his unfinished work Ethics, he began to define the basis for a new understanding of the theological solidarity between Christians and Jews, which went beyond sympathy based on humanitarian feelings” (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of the Holocaust). Also important to consider is that “he rethought [German] heritage within a Christocentric theology, thus becoming a radical critic of his contemporary church and of contemporary theology because they seemed to him to touch only the insignificant corners of life” (Bethge “Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of Religion page 1017). Consequently, Bonhoeffer’s challenging Christianity during his life, tying its theologies to those of Nazism, and his views on the Jewish race make him a clear proponent of Borg’s subversive wisdom.
To set aside the philosophical jargon, perhaps the best testament to Bonhoeffer’s being a Christian witness was his following his conscience. Bonhoeffer reportedly espoused a “sense of moral outrage against the Nazi treatment of Jews” which “was a major factor in his support of the German resistance movement” (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of the Holocaust). Bonhoeffer chose to listen to his conscience instead of passively ignoring it. A quote of his sums this up well; he says “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act” (https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/29333.Dietrich_Bonhoeffer). In this quote, one could argue, is the bare essential of all of Bonhoeffer’s theology. First of all, it actively condemns passivity when one knows something is wrong. It actively condemns not responding to cruelty. Moreover, it implicates one as equally guilty if they choose to do nothing. According to this haunting quote, in matters of life and death, to be compliant is to be complicit. Second, it is important to consider that Bonhoeffer attests that “God will not hold us guiltless” if we choose “silence”. Implicit to this is the idea that salvation will be obtained in following the conscience. This corroborates with the fact that Bonhoeffer believed current Christian dogma was ultimately without substance and “[provided] cheap escapism for the individual” but no real moral obligation or need for devotion (Bethge “Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of Religion 1017). It also corroborates with his own quotes; he says: “Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves...Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate” (https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/29333.Dietrich_Bonhoeffer). Perhaps these ideas of action vs. inaction can even be applied to Bonhoeffer’s own critique on Christianity, not just his condemnation of Nazism; all his life, he saw discrepancies and hypocrisies inherent to Christian dogma, and ceaselessly challenged them and tried to improve them until his early death. Therefore, not only did he act purely from his conscience, but he actively criticized his own religious affiliations. In this way, Bonhoeffer’s stance as a Christian witness – definitely an atypical one, but a witness nonetheless – is made clear.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life is proof that long lives are not necessary for extraordinary lives.
He lived a short life, but accomplished so much during his brief time on earth, and solidly grounded himself in his own Christian faith. He, like so many other Christian witnesses, definitely serves as an inspiration for others. While most people do not have to face the evil of inhuman regimes daily, or even ever in their entire lives, Bonhoeffer’s message about action “in the face of evil” should serve as a solid basis for spiritual improvement in everyone’s life, as everyone will experience some degree of evil in their life (https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/29333.Dietrich_Bonhoeffer). Furthermore, the fact that he was martyred may put him on a different level than some other Christian witnesses. While any devout Christian would lay down their life for Christ, Bonhoeffer is among those who in recent years actually did that. All of these together – his dedication to Christ, his critique of Christianity, and his message – clearly reveal Bonhoeffer to be a man well worth
emulating.
(“Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction 395). Growing up with seven other siblings, Bonhoeffer came from a large and well-to-do family, with his father as a neurologist. Obviously an intellectually gifted man, he graduated with a theology doctorate from the University of Berlin in 1927, only twenty-one years old (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of World Biography 390). He went on to study at Union Theological Seminary in New York in the first year of the 1930s, after which he returned to Germany (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of World Biography 390). Well-equipped for a life studying God, Bonhoeffer – Dr. Bonhoeffer – became “a Lutheran pastor in 1931” and then began a career as a theology professor at the University of Berlin ("Bonhoeffer, Dietrich" Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction 395). Furthermore, he “spent his early years in the ministry in part in Berlin and in part in London” ("Bonhoeffer, Dietrich" Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction 395). Such is a succinct summary of his early life and early career. Although not unremarkable, his life was without doubt comfortable and for the most part normal, until 1933 arrived and saw the complete reversal of this man’s entire existence. 1933 saw the rise of one of history’s most infamous tyrants: Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime. This was a regime of which “Bonhoeffer was one of the first German Protestants to see the demonic implications” (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer”, Encyclopedia of World Biography 390). Bonhoeffer left his England ministry for good in 1936 and returned to Germany in order to voice his anti-Nazi sentiment by becoming involved with “the Confessional Church”, an anti-Nazi organization for Lutheran pastors and other members of the ministry (“Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction 395). The Gestapo – the Nazi secret police – shut the organization down in 1937-1938; nevertheless, Bonhoeffer considered his decision to remain in Germany in the midst of all its evil and involve himself in anti-Nazi movements “the most fulfilling of his life” (Eberhard Bethge, “Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of Religion 1016). Following the organization’s disbandment, Bonhoeffer went again to America to be out of reach of the Germans, but returned soon thereafter in order to fully bear the same burdens as the people trapped under the Nazis (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer”, Encyclopedia of World Biography 390). Bonhoeffer soon became involved in an anti-Nazi movement led by Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, a Nazi intelligence elite who was also a double agent, who commissioned Bonhoeffer to communicate with Allied churches (“Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction page 395-396). Bonhoeffer was arrested in April of 1943 when the Nazis suspected him of illegal activities (Bethge “Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of Religion page 1016). He continued to write while in prison, further developing his unique and subversive theology – about which there will be some discussion later – much of which was eventually published in 1951 as Letters and Papers from Prison ("Dietrich Bonhoeffer." Encyclopedia of the Holocaust). The proof the Nazis needed came when they discovered Bonhoeffer’s – and Canaris’ – complicity in a plot (known as the July 20th plot) against Hitler’s life (“Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction page 396). Bonhoeffer was subsequently executed – by hanging – at Flossenbürg concentration camp on April 9, 1945. Less than two months later, Hitler committed suicide, the Third Reich collapsed, and the War in the west came to an end.
Needless to say, Dietrich Bonhoeffer led an incredible – if short – life. Despite the brevity of his life, his developed a theology that is, to say the very least, immensely complicated. However, it is what serves as a strong testament to this man’s legacy. Bonhoeffer wrote a variety of works between the years 1930 until his death. Some famous titles include: Sanctorum Communio (1930), Act and Being (1931), The Cost of Discipleship (1937), and Life Together, and through these Bonhoeffer articulates some of his most complicated theology. These works, furthermore, have been translated into a variety of languages, and his complex theology continues to challenge people’s own beliefs today, as “it remains evocative” (Bethge “Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of Religion page 1017). Furthermore, his own martyrdom lends a special aura to his legacy (Bethge “Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of Religion page 1017). The idea of martyrdom generally conjures up images of early Christians dying in arenas at the hands of the Romans. The fact that Bonhoeffer died a martyr at the hands of a much more recent empire makes martyrdom, as this source implies, much more applicable and tangible today (Bethge “Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of Religion page 1017). Moreover, his legacy permeates into today “in the post-Holocaust rethinking of Christian relationships with the Jewish people” (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of the Holocaust). Consequently, one can see that Bonhoeffer’s legacy – especially with regard to his writings, his death, and his theology – abound well into the present age.
Understanding Bonhoeffer’s theology is certainly not easy. What might be the most important fact to consider is that “Bonhoeffer came from a Christian tradition that saw the Jews as accursed”, but Bonhoeffer deviated from this worldview and even drew parallels between Nazism and the Christian Church (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of the Holocaust). More specifically, Bonhoeffer sought to establish similarities between Jews and Christians despite the beliefs of many Germans during his time, and “in his unfinished work Ethics, he began to define the basis for a new understanding of the theological solidarity between Christians and Jews, which went beyond sympathy based on humanitarian feelings” (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of the Holocaust). Also important to consider is that “he rethought [German] heritage within a Christocentric theology, thus becoming a radical critic of his contemporary church and of contemporary theology because they seemed to him to touch only the insignificant corners of life” (Bethge “Bonhoeffer, Dietrich” Encyclopedia of Religion page 1017). Consequently, Bonhoeffer’s challenging Christianity during his life, tying its theologies to those of Nazism, and his views on the Jewish race make him a clear proponent of Borg’s subversive wisdom.
To set aside the philosophical jargon, perhaps the best testament to Bonhoeffer’s being a Christian witness was his following his conscience. Bonhoeffer reportedly espoused a “sense of moral outrage against the Nazi treatment of Jews” which “was a major factor in his support of the German resistance movement” (“Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of the Holocaust). Bonhoeffer chose to listen to his conscience instead of passively ignoring it. A quote of his sums this up well; he says “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act” (https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/29333.Dietrich_Bonhoeffer). In this quote, one could argue, is the bare essential of all of Bonhoeffer’s theology. First of all, it actively condemns passivity when one knows something is wrong. It actively condemns not responding to cruelty. Moreover, it implicates one as equally guilty if they choose to do nothing. According to this haunting quote, in matters of life and death, to be compliant is to be complicit. Second, it is important to consider that Bonhoeffer attests that “God will not hold us guiltless” if we choose “silence”. Implicit to this is the idea that salvation will be obtained in following the conscience. This corroborates with the fact that Bonhoeffer believed current Christian dogma was ultimately without substance and “[provided] cheap escapism for the individual” but no real moral obligation or need for devotion (Bethge “Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Encyclopedia of Religion 1017). It also corroborates with his own quotes; he says: “Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves...Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate” (https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/29333.Dietrich_Bonhoeffer). Perhaps these ideas of action vs. inaction can even be applied to Bonhoeffer’s own critique on Christianity, not just his condemnation of Nazism; all his life, he saw discrepancies and hypocrisies inherent to Christian dogma, and ceaselessly challenged them and tried to improve them until his early death. Therefore, not only did he act purely from his conscience, but he actively criticized his own religious affiliations. In this way, Bonhoeffer’s stance as a Christian witness – definitely an atypical one, but a witness nonetheless – is made clear.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life is proof that long lives are not necessary for extraordinary lives.
He lived a short life, but accomplished so much during his brief time on earth, and solidly grounded himself in his own Christian faith. He, like so many other Christian witnesses, definitely serves as an inspiration for others. While most people do not have to face the evil of inhuman regimes daily, or even ever in their entire lives, Bonhoeffer’s message about action “in the face of evil” should serve as a solid basis for spiritual improvement in everyone’s life, as everyone will experience some degree of evil in their life (https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/29333.Dietrich_Bonhoeffer). Furthermore, the fact that he was martyred may put him on a different level than some other Christian witnesses. While any devout Christian would lay down their life for Christ, Bonhoeffer is among those who in recent years actually did that. All of these together – his dedication to Christ, his critique of Christianity, and his message – clearly reveal Bonhoeffer to be a man well worth
emulating.