This paper has been given in April 2005 at MIT to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s death.
Providing basic historical background information and quoting documents – some of which are not well-known in the English speaking world – it attempts to show what it meant for Bonhoeffer to be a disciple of Christ under the Third Reich.
Table of Contents
1. CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP VERSUS HITLER'S DICTATORSHIP.
1.1 COMMEMORATING DIETRICH BONHOEFFER, MAN OF GOD UNDER THE THIRD REICH.
Objectives & Themes
This paper examines the life and theological journey of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, exploring his transition from an ambitious theologian to a committed Christian who resisted the Nazi regime based on his faith. It analyzes how Bonhoeffer's understanding of discipleship compelled him to oppose Hitler, join the military resistance, and ultimately face execution, positioning his life as a powerful witness of moral courage under tyranny.
- The role of the church in the "Church struggle" against National Socialism.
- Bonhoeffer's conceptualization of Christian responsibility and resistance to evil.
- The influence of personal faith and theology on Bonhoeffer’s political actions.
- The ethical conflicts faced by Christians during the rise of the Third Reich.
- The martyr legacy and the significance of Bonhoeffer's final years and writings.
Excerpts from the Book
CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP VERSUS HITLER'S DICTATORSHIP. COMMEMORATING DIETRICH BONHOEFFER, MAN OF GOD UNDER THE THIRD REICH.
Bonhoeffer’s life story I am about to sketch is the story of a brilliant and ambitious theologian who became a committed Christian at the time of the rise of National Socialism, who, as a disciple of Christ opposed Hitler, the Antichrist, first as probably the most radical protestant clergyman of the confessional opposition, then as a political conspirator in the military opposition, BOTH on Christian grounds. It is the story of a man of God who, like Jeremiah, has been overpowered by God, shared the fate of his people, who, at the end, threw himself into God’s arms for, like Moses, he wasn’t allowed to enter the Promised Land.
When Bonhoeffer decided that he wanted to study theology he was 14 and not yet a Christian. There had been theologians among his forebears and the Bonhoeffer-children had been baptized and confirmed. But the Bonhoeffers were not churchgoers. His parents’ main upbringing principle was to make their 8 children responsible human beings who would always take into account the needs and feeling of others. (And they succeeded: two sons and two sons in law were executed by the SS because of their participation in the anti-Hitler-conspiracy.)
When Dietrich Bonhoeffer decided that he wanted to study theology his decision had much more to do with his personal ambition and – as he put it himself – his “pitiful vanity” than with Jesus Christ. He had to find a field of his own in which he would be the best. When he was born in 1906 he had three older brothers, two older sisters and one twin-sister, another girl came after the twins. He belonged to the group of the three little ones. And the gap between him and his brothers grew even deeper when two of them returned from WWI whereas he had stayed safely at home. Moreover his father and brothers were all leading experts in their field.
Summary of Chapters
1. CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP VERSUS HITLER'S DICTATORSHIP.: This chapter provides an overview of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life, his opposition to Hitler's regime, and his eventual execution for his role in the anti-Hitler conspiracy.
1.1 COMMEMORATING DIETRICH BONHOEFFER, MAN OF GOD UNDER THE THIRD REICH.: This section details Bonhoeffer's development as a theologian, his theological resistance to the Nazi state, his participation in the Church struggle, and his final spiritual testament reflected in his poetry and letters from prison.
Keywords
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Third Reich, Christian Discipleship, Hitler, Church Struggle, Confessing Church, Resistance, Theology, Martyrdom, Nazi Regime, National Socialism, Faith, Ethics, Resistance movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this paper?
The paper explores the life and witness of the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, focusing on his theological and political resistance against Hitler's regime and his commitment to Christian discipleship.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The themes include the history of the Confessing Church, the ethics of resistance, Bonhoeffer’s theological transformation, and the moral dilemmas faced by Christians in Nazi Germany.
What is the central research objective?
The primary objective is to commemorate Bonhoeffer’s legacy by analyzing how his faith necessitated his opposition to the Third Reich and the moral cost of his convictions.
Which methodology is applied in this study?
The work utilizes a biographical and historical-theological approach, examining primary sources such as Bonhoeffer’s letters, essays, sermons, and personal poetry.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The body covers Bonhoeffer’s early life, his spiritual awakening, his leadership within the Confessing Church, his involvement in the military resistance, and his final days leading to his execution.
Which keywords define this document?
Key terms include Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Third Reich, Christian Discipleship, Church Struggle, Resistance, and Faith.
How did Bonhoeffer view the role of the Church in relation to the state?
Bonhoeffer believed the church had an unconditional obligation to protect victims of state injustice and that it must challenge the state when it fails to maintain proper order or interferes with the proclamation of the Gospel.
Why did Bonhoeffer return to Germany from the United States in 1939?
Bonhoeffer felt it was his Christian duty to share the trials of his people during the war, believing he would have no moral authority to participate in the reconstruction of Germany if he fled during its darkest hour.
- Quote paper
- Andrea Tam (Author), 2005, Christian discipleship vs. Hitler's dictatorship. Commemorating Dietrich Bonhoeffer, man of God under the Third Reich, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/83281
