BONHOEFFER: GOD'S WILL, DISCIPLESHIP & LEADERSHIP

Question 1

What is God’s Will in this context?

Answer 1

We must submit to obedience = an act of faith, an inner law achieved through prayer.

Question 2

For Bonhoeffer, what is the call to discipleship?

Answer 2

A call to obedience to the leadership of Jesus and the will of God.

Question 3

Give a quote from Bonhoeffer about a clear encounter with Jesus.

Answer 3

“Only obedience to the call of Jesus.”

Question 4

What does discipleship entail?

Answer 4

The exclusive obedience to the leadership of God and all other legal ties are unimportant.

Question 5

How does one know what the will of God is according to Bonhoeffer?

Answer 5

It will “only be clear in the moment of action” - no rusty swords.

Question 6

What does being obedient to God’s will mean for Bonhoeffer?

Answer 6

Going against the state.

Question 7

What distinction does Bonhoeffer make between Leadership and leader?

Answer 7

Leadership is grounded in the community, but the idea of leader is specific to a particular person.

Question 8

What does leadership focus on? How does Bonhoeffer link this to Germany?

Answer 8

Leadership focuses on matter beyond the leader, not the leader himself. Germany had invested a leader divorced from society - a tyrant.

Question 9

What was the call to discipleship for Bonhoeffer?

Answer 9

A call to obedience to the leadership of Jesus and the will of God.

Question 10

What is Christian discipleship according to Bonhoeffer?

Answer 10

Fundamentally about something you do; who which leader you obey.

Question 11

What does Bonhoeffer state in the Cost of Discipleship about leaders?

Answer 11

“It is nothing else than bondage to Jesus Christ alone.”

Question 12

What does discipleship entail?

Answer 12

The exclusive obedience to the leadership of God and all other legal ties are burned.

Question 13

What does God’s will mean?

Answer 13

That we cannot take on the call on our own terms, fitting it in around our life in a way that is convent.

Question 14

What does Bonhoeffer state about the road to faith?

Answer 14

“Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes.”

Question 15

What did Bonhoeffer call for?

Answer 15

‘Single-minded obedience’.

Question 16

What did the leaders of the confessing church ask Bonhoeffer to do in 1935?

Answer 16

To lead and direct a secret and illegal seminary - a place to train new pastors.

Question 17

When was the seminary closed? By whom?

Answer 17

1937 by the Gestapo.

Question 18

What was the seminary for Bonhoeffer?

Answer 18

A source of spiritual discipline, a life of prayer and a way to provide the caring service of the church.

Question 19

What did the call to discipleship entail for Bonhoeffer?

Answer 19

Exclusive obedience and cutting yourself off from previous existence.

Question 20

What did Bonhoeffer believe discipleship was?

Answer 20

The only real faith.

Question 21

What does God’s call demand?

Answer 21

Action, there is no time to think things through, just simply act.

Question 22

What did Bonhoeffer call for? How does this link to Jesus?

Answer 22

‘Single-minded’ obedience, just as Jesus called Peter to risk his life and work on the sea.

Question 23

What three things stand in the way of obedience? Who does this link to?

Answer 23

Conscience, responsibility and piety.

Aquinas - conscience.

Question 24

How can Bonhoeffer be defended from this notion of going against Jesus’ teaching?

Answer 24

The alternative was to abide by the German Church which followed the Aryan Race Policy, a direct contradiction of Jesus’ teaching.

Question 25

What must anyone who follows Jesus do?

Answer 25

Pick up their cross and follow the path of suffering.