Dietrich Bonhoeffer Political Theology

When he was in this country in 1930 31 as german fellow at union theological seminary he was inclined to regard political questions as completely irrelevant to the.

Dietrich bonhoeffer political theology. 63 while generally praising bonhoeffer s ethics and in particular his account of the mandates because they do not emerge from reality but descend into it karl barth suggests there still may remain just a hint of north german. The sermon below is taken from the collected sermons of dietrich bonhoeffer edited and introduced by isabel best. Eighty years ago a 33 year old christian theologian named dietrich bonhoeffer returned to his native germany after a short stay in the united states.

His complicity in the conspiracy thrust him directly into political resistance. Dietrich bonhoeffer s political theology 39 bonhoeffer philadelphia westminster 1969 85 90. Dietrich bonhoeffer was a martyred theologian.

In january 1933 shortly before hitler came to power bonhoeffer preached this sermon at a vespers service on the evening of the second sunday after epiphany. Berlin second sunday after epiphany january 15 1933. Bonhoeffer was a brilliant young theologian who combined a deep piety with a high degree of intellectual sophistication.

There is disagreement over this of course. Dietrich bonhoeffer 1906 1945 is perhaps remembered as the most famous christian martyr of the twentieth century. Bonhoeffer s resistance to nazism has provided inspiration for resistance movements worldwide.

Politicians of all stripes praise him as a nazi resister champion of human justice and defender of human rights. In particular bonhoeffer s rejection of paradigmatic schools of ethics thought e g. He was strongly under the influence of barthian theology.

The lutheran and episcopal churches as well as other religious bodies worldwide recently commemorated the annual remembrance of german lutheran. German theologian dietrich bonhoeffer 1906 1945 in the early 1930s. He was also a lutheran pastor and theologian who helped start the confessing church launched an underground seminary and conspired with others to plot hitler s assassination.