Bonhoeffer Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is on the spec?
• duty to God and duty to the state
• church as community and source of spiritual discipline
• the cost of discipleship (costly and cheap grace)
Who was Dietrich Bonhoeffer!
German Lutheran Pastor in the early 30th century during Nazi Germany. He joined a resistance in attempt to assassinate Hitler
Finish the quote “Whats worse than..
doing evil, is being evil”
What does the quote “Whats worse than doing evil, is being evil” represent
You have to do things that aren’t moral entirely moral - costly discipleship
Finish the quote “silence in the..
face of evil is evil itself”
‘Two kingdoms’ Lutheranism teaches
- Spiritual Kingdom (goverened by church)
- Political Kingdom (governed by the state)
In traditional Christian teaching, passage from the NT reinforces the view that Christians have a duty to the state “Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar” Mark 12:17
Why does Bonhoeffer disagree with Lutheranism?
It gave too much power and authority to the state and its rulers and undermined the true purpose of Christianity and the one true leader (Jesus)
According to Bonhoeffer, a Christian must submit themselves to
the call of Jesus (God)
Through Jesus we learn our actions are just as important as teachings
What is civil disobedience?
The refusual to accept laws or practices of a government, usually in a non-violence way
What is the ley to understanding Bonhoeffers justification of civil disobedience?
Christians have a ‘responsibility to the state’ ensuring it acts in accordance to God’s will.
Church thought Nazism was imposing order over a disordered nation
Bonhoeffer believed its marginalisation of minorities amd blatant disregard for life were gross disstortions of the God-given order
Nazism required christians to be disobedient to the State
What is ‘suffering disobedience’?
tyrranicide (the deliberate killing of a tyrant - a ruthless ruler - for the common good) may be a christian duty if it means establishing social order. He called it ‘suffering disobedience’ emphasising that this is not an easy task
What is ‘bottom up’ theology?
where you should always put Gods protection of the opressed above the state
Who did Bonhoeffer believe was the ultimate leader?
Jesus Christ - sole Mediator innthe world
Responding to Jesus’ call?
disobeying the State when it goes againts the will of God
What is Bonhoeffer’s response to knowing what the will of God is?
it will ‘be clear in the moment of ACTION’
Where does the ACTION come from?
Christian’s awareness of their conscience, which is formed by living a good christian life
Why might Christians not always know God’s will?
- Humanity is fallen, reason is corrupted by the Fall
- God has given us free will and so we need to try and use this to resolve situations ourselves (Martin Luther believed that free will was an illusion)
What was The Confessing Church?
a movement within German Protestantianism during Nazi Germany that arose in opposition to government-sponsored efforts to unify all Protestant churches into a single pro-Nazi Protestant Reich Church
Wht is religionless Christianity?
Christianity without the baggage of the oast and contamination by the ideological beliefs of the present
Why did Bonhoeffer advocate a ‘religionless Christianity’?
He wanted to re-focus on Jesus as the ultimate leadee
What does Bonhoeffer mean by the term ‘rusty swords’?
a metaphorical term to describe the outworn ethical attitudes which the Church held but were no longer representative of societies issues
he believed the German church had become just as useless as ‘rusty swords’
What was Finkenwalde?
a secret seminary for the Confessing Church - a college where pastors/priests were trained
What was life at Finkenwalde like?
It was simple, the seminarians would eat simply, had limited possessions, meditated daily and maintained the Bible at the centre of their lives e.g. they would go on bike rides
What is Cheap Grace?
Christians who wrongly believed that Gods grace was given as a gift without any personal sacrifice or obligation expected from the individual in response. They are described as passive
