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The Community of Saints
The Communion of Saints with Many Illustrations.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, anti-Nazi dissident, and key founding member of the Confessing Church. His writings on Christianity's role in the secular world have become widely influential. Apart from his theological writings, Bonhoeffer was known for his staunch resistance to the Nazi dictatorship, including vocal opposition to Hitler's euthanasia program and genocidal persecution of the Jews. He was arrested in April 1943 by the Gestapo. After being associated with the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, he was quickly tried and then executed by hanging on 9 April 1945 as the Nazi regime was collapsing.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, anti-Nazi dissident, and key founding member of the Confessing Church. His writings on Christianity's role in the secular world have become widely influential. Apart from his theological writings, Bonhoeffer was known for his staunch resistance to the Nazi dictatorship, including vocal opposition to Hitler's euthanasia program and genocidal persecution of the Jews. He was arrested in April 1943 by the Gestapo. After being associated with the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, he was quickly tried and then executed by hanging on 9 April 1945 as the Nazi regime was collapsing.
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2015
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About the author
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
377 books1,816 followersWorks of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Protestant theologian of Germany, concern Christianity in the modern world; for his role in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, people executed him.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer served as a Lutheran pastor. He, also a participant in the movement of Resistance against Nazism and a member, founded the confessing church. Members of the Abwehr, the military intelligence office planned his involvement, which resulted in his arrest in April 1943 and his subsequent hanging in April 1945 shortly before the end of the war. His secular view influenced very many people.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietric...
Dietrich Bonhoeffer served as a Lutheran pastor. He, also a participant in the movement of Resistance against Nazism and a member, founded the confessing church. Members of the Abwehr, the military intelligence office planned his involvement, which resulted in his arrest in April 1943 and his subsequent hanging in April 1945 shortly before the end of the war. His secular view influenced very many people.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietric...
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March 14, 2024
Powerful, and particularly illuminating for Bonhoeffer’s thought; many of the themes explored in his later writings (related to community and the church) find their genesis (and more exhaustive explanation and defense) here.
Difficult to read given its origin as an academic piece, but all the more impressive given he completed this doctoral dissertation at only 21.
Nitpicking, I was a bit disappointed with his theory of the origins of universal sin. While able to point out shortcomings in biological (individual, hereditary) or ethical (corporal, caput seminale) permutations postulated by Augustine and Luther and many others, his alternative view failed to account for how created nature - rather than man alone - can share in the effects of sin and be subject to judgement and restoration in the eschaton.
In general, Bonhoeffer does an incredible job showing how church can be at once both religious and historical, at unity with Christ yet impaired by imperfection, a collection of individual persons and yet a unified collective in the eyes of God. His derived insights are profound and material for “concrete action” (as he would say) for the church today.
Difficult to read given its origin as an academic piece, but all the more impressive given he completed this doctoral dissertation at only 21.
Nitpicking, I was a bit disappointed with his theory of the origins of universal sin. While able to point out shortcomings in biological (individual, hereditary) or ethical (corporal, caput seminale) permutations postulated by Augustine and Luther and many others, his alternative view failed to account for how created nature - rather than man alone - can share in the effects of sin and be subject to judgement and restoration in the eschaton.
In general, Bonhoeffer does an incredible job showing how church can be at once both religious and historical, at unity with Christ yet impaired by imperfection, a collection of individual persons and yet a unified collective in the eyes of God. His derived insights are profound and material for “concrete action” (as he would say) for the church today.
Displaying 1 of 1 review