Discipleship and obedience
Bonhoeffer lived in Germany at a time when Christianity was challenged by the rise of Hitler and the
Nazi party. In 1934 German Protestantism split into the German-Christian movement, which merged
Nazi political ideology with religion, and the Confessing Church set up by Niemoller which sought to
remain authentically Christian. In the German-church they promoted the Aryan cause, sought the
removal of the Jewish Old Testament from the Bible and, most importantly, placed Hitler on the
same level of reverence as Jesus.
Bonhoeffer accused the German Christians of turning their back on true discipleship and the will of
God.
For Bonhoeffer, discipleship meant total obedience to the leadership of Jesus Christ. The first
disciples responded to the call ‘Follow me’ and ‘Immediately they left their nets and followed him.’
There was no mention of theological belief or reward, but a plain call to obedience.
It involves exclusive obedience to the leadership of God and this places discipleship above the law
and any human leadership or the responsibilities of citizenship. Bonhoeffer quotes Luke where Jesus
tells a man – with the legal obligation to bury his father – to instead come and follow him.
Bonhoeffer felt that idolising a human leader, like Hitler, distracts us from following God’s will. A
true Christian leader is one who recognises and follows Jesus entirely. Jesus is the ultimate leader
who removed the need for any other source of authority that would distract us from God.
- The Bible says ‘there is no authority except that which God has established’ which suggests
that all leadership on Earth comes from God. However, it seems unlikely that the same God
who declared the Jews his ‘chosen people’ would later elect a leader whose aim was to
eradicate them.
The Barman declaration, written by Karl Barth, opposed the German National Church ideals and was
accepted by all Confessing Churches. It declared that the message and order of the church should
not be influenced by politics, rejected worldly leaders – such as Hitler – and asserted that only Jesus
is the source of authority in every aspect of life.
He called for 'single-minded obedience' as God's call to discipleship demands that you act
immediately without thought or rationale. Conscience, reason or any previous responsibilities only
stand in the way.
- Kierkegaard argued that God doesn’t want blind obedience. He suggests that Abraham in
fact failed God’s test by almost sacrificing Isaac, although this is not the mainstream view on
what the scripture represents.
Bonhoeffer proved by his resistance to Nazism until death that the loyalty of discipleship transcends
loyalty to state or nation. He believed that doing nothing to combat injustice was just as bad as
actively doing evil so, as well as publicly speaking out against Nazism in lectures and on the radio, he
joined the German resistance and worked as a double agent for the allies, helping smuggle Jews to
Switzerland. He was imprisoned, placed in concentration camps and later executed due to his
obedience.
God’s will
, Bonhoeffer believed that God's will would 'only be clear in the moment of action.' He felt that
immediate revelation from Christ spontaneously appears to you through the holy spirit, a notion
influenced by his experiences of African-American gospel churches in America.
It is not through reason or conscience that we work out God’s will but as Fallen humans we simply
have to obey.
Bonhoeffer suggests that we should approach ethics within community so that the community will
ensure that individual decisions are checked and we are more likely to accurately fulfil the will of
God.
Solidarity and community
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about being the salt and the light. This is a metaphor for the
presence of Christians within the wider community: just as a small amount of salt can season the
whole pot, a small number of committed Christians can act as exemplars and provide moral
seasoning for society. There must be the ‘visible community’ of the Church publicly following its
mission and acting as a sign to others.
In 1935 the leaders of the Confessing Church asked Bonhoeffer to lead and direct a secret and illegal
seminary in Finkenwalde free from the Nazi ideology. His decision to become involved with training
and developing ministers might seem unimportant, but shows just how much Bonhoeffer respected
the need for ‘the salt’ in society.
He argued that the Church community and congregation must not be closed in on itself but be a
refuge for the persecuted and be visible in the wider community. For him, a community was a group
of people who stand together in solidarity.
Bonhoeffer was increasingly filled with sorrow about the state of the Confessing Church in the later
years of the National Socialist regime. He felt the Church was more concerned with existing and its
own situation than voicing criticism against the war and the fate of the persecuted and oppressed.
He would frequently quote Proverbs ‘Who will speak up for those who are voiceless?’
- Martin Luther held that religion and state were two different kingdoms ruled by different
Kings and should not overlap. However, Bonhoeffer rejected this notion as he felt the Church
had an active role to play in society and challenging injustice.
As part of costly Grace, Bonhoeffer felt he had to live through the experience of suffering that his
people were enduring, rather than waiting in safety. He could have stayed away from Germany but
chose to return and suffer with his people. For him, the purpose of Christian life is not to be
‘religious’ but rather be in a relationship with God though living an existence for others. A true
understanding of solidarity is not just about empathy with others but walking alongside them in life.
Suffering
Cheap grace
Grace is a key theological idea referring to God’s unconditional love and mercy, often associated
with forgiveness for sins and the offer of eternal life.
Bonhoeffer strongly felt that Grace was given out too freely in society, to everyone without asking
questions, as if it was valueless. There was no incentive to follow Christ’s example or live a moral life
when the Church kept giving out Grace for free. They would preach forgiveness without requiring
Bonhoeffer lived in Germany at a time when Christianity was challenged by the rise of Hitler and the
Nazi party. In 1934 German Protestantism split into the German-Christian movement, which merged
Nazi political ideology with religion, and the Confessing Church set up by Niemoller which sought to
remain authentically Christian. In the German-church they promoted the Aryan cause, sought the
removal of the Jewish Old Testament from the Bible and, most importantly, placed Hitler on the
same level of reverence as Jesus.
Bonhoeffer accused the German Christians of turning their back on true discipleship and the will of
God.
For Bonhoeffer, discipleship meant total obedience to the leadership of Jesus Christ. The first
disciples responded to the call ‘Follow me’ and ‘Immediately they left their nets and followed him.’
There was no mention of theological belief or reward, but a plain call to obedience.
It involves exclusive obedience to the leadership of God and this places discipleship above the law
and any human leadership or the responsibilities of citizenship. Bonhoeffer quotes Luke where Jesus
tells a man – with the legal obligation to bury his father – to instead come and follow him.
Bonhoeffer felt that idolising a human leader, like Hitler, distracts us from following God’s will. A
true Christian leader is one who recognises and follows Jesus entirely. Jesus is the ultimate leader
who removed the need for any other source of authority that would distract us from God.
- The Bible says ‘there is no authority except that which God has established’ which suggests
that all leadership on Earth comes from God. However, it seems unlikely that the same God
who declared the Jews his ‘chosen people’ would later elect a leader whose aim was to
eradicate them.
The Barman declaration, written by Karl Barth, opposed the German National Church ideals and was
accepted by all Confessing Churches. It declared that the message and order of the church should
not be influenced by politics, rejected worldly leaders – such as Hitler – and asserted that only Jesus
is the source of authority in every aspect of life.
He called for 'single-minded obedience' as God's call to discipleship demands that you act
immediately without thought or rationale. Conscience, reason or any previous responsibilities only
stand in the way.
- Kierkegaard argued that God doesn’t want blind obedience. He suggests that Abraham in
fact failed God’s test by almost sacrificing Isaac, although this is not the mainstream view on
what the scripture represents.
Bonhoeffer proved by his resistance to Nazism until death that the loyalty of discipleship transcends
loyalty to state or nation. He believed that doing nothing to combat injustice was just as bad as
actively doing evil so, as well as publicly speaking out against Nazism in lectures and on the radio, he
joined the German resistance and worked as a double agent for the allies, helping smuggle Jews to
Switzerland. He was imprisoned, placed in concentration camps and later executed due to his
obedience.
God’s will
, Bonhoeffer believed that God's will would 'only be clear in the moment of action.' He felt that
immediate revelation from Christ spontaneously appears to you through the holy spirit, a notion
influenced by his experiences of African-American gospel churches in America.
It is not through reason or conscience that we work out God’s will but as Fallen humans we simply
have to obey.
Bonhoeffer suggests that we should approach ethics within community so that the community will
ensure that individual decisions are checked and we are more likely to accurately fulfil the will of
God.
Solidarity and community
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about being the salt and the light. This is a metaphor for the
presence of Christians within the wider community: just as a small amount of salt can season the
whole pot, a small number of committed Christians can act as exemplars and provide moral
seasoning for society. There must be the ‘visible community’ of the Church publicly following its
mission and acting as a sign to others.
In 1935 the leaders of the Confessing Church asked Bonhoeffer to lead and direct a secret and illegal
seminary in Finkenwalde free from the Nazi ideology. His decision to become involved with training
and developing ministers might seem unimportant, but shows just how much Bonhoeffer respected
the need for ‘the salt’ in society.
He argued that the Church community and congregation must not be closed in on itself but be a
refuge for the persecuted and be visible in the wider community. For him, a community was a group
of people who stand together in solidarity.
Bonhoeffer was increasingly filled with sorrow about the state of the Confessing Church in the later
years of the National Socialist regime. He felt the Church was more concerned with existing and its
own situation than voicing criticism against the war and the fate of the persecuted and oppressed.
He would frequently quote Proverbs ‘Who will speak up for those who are voiceless?’
- Martin Luther held that religion and state were two different kingdoms ruled by different
Kings and should not overlap. However, Bonhoeffer rejected this notion as he felt the Church
had an active role to play in society and challenging injustice.
As part of costly Grace, Bonhoeffer felt he had to live through the experience of suffering that his
people were enduring, rather than waiting in safety. He could have stayed away from Germany but
chose to return and suffer with his people. For him, the purpose of Christian life is not to be
‘religious’ but rather be in a relationship with God though living an existence for others. A true
understanding of solidarity is not just about empathy with others but walking alongside them in life.
Suffering
Cheap grace
Grace is a key theological idea referring to God’s unconditional love and mercy, often associated
with forgiveness for sins and the offer of eternal life.
Bonhoeffer strongly felt that Grace was given out too freely in society, to everyone without asking
questions, as if it was valueless. There was no incentive to follow Christ’s example or live a moral life
when the Church kept giving out Grace for free. They would preach forgiveness without requiring
