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Jesus Christ and the Church in the Theologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Stanley Hauerwas

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Jesus Christ and the Church in the Theologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Stanley Hauerwas For the Life of the World: Jesus Christ and the Church in the Theologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Stanley Hauerwas by Robert John Dean A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Wycliffe College and the Theology Department of the Toronto School of Theology In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Theology awarded by Wycliffe College and the University of Toronto © Copyright by Robert John Dean 2014 For the Life of the World: Jesus Christ and the Church in the Theologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Stanley Hauerwas Robert John Dean Doctor of Theology Wycliffe College and the University of Toronto 2014 Abstract The church-world problematic has occupied a prominent place in modern theology and church life. However, the anemic ecclesial imagination of much of modern Protestantism has left it ill- equipped to engage the issue. This dissertation proposes that the theologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Stanley Hauerwas provide a rich and complementary set of resources for aiding the contemporary church in negotiating the complexities of its relationship to the modern world. Through their de-theorizing of Christology and focus upon the particular identity of Jesus Christ, both Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas are able to recover the ethical and political character of the Christian faith. The apocalyptic and participatory character of their Christologies provides the grounds for the recovery of a robust conception of the identity and mission of the church. The church is not an add-on or afterthought for either man, but rather is internal to the Gospel itself. The ecclesiological density of their thought, which stems from their radical Christological concentration, allows for a different orientation to the church-world problematic than the predominant approaches to the problem in modernity. On the basis of these central Christological and ecclesiological convictions, the theologies of Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas are, at different points, able to helpfully serve as a correction and supplement to one another. ii Acknowledgments At the beginning of a dissertation on Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas it seems particularly appropriate to acknowledge the gifts that have made one’s life and work possible. I have benefited greatly from the careful supervision of my thesis director, Joseph Mangina. In his willingness to read an earlier draft of this dissertation, Stanley Hauerwas demonstrated the graciousness for which he is rightfully renowned. David Schuchardt, Craig Shugart, Paul Johansen, Lisa Barber, and Robyn Elliott, faithful servants of the church of Jesus Christ, represent the type of readership that both Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas have imagined for their work. I am grateful for friends, colleagues, and students, such as these, who have been willing to take my work seriously. The congregation of Good Shepherd Community Church has throughout served as a living exhibition of the fragile gift of grace bestowed in the church. Muskoka Woods Sports Resort generously provided office space for me during the summer months. My father and mother, Tom and Ruth Dean, have continued to eagerly follow my progress, offering their encouragement from afar. Anastasia, who was born near the beginning of the project, and Nathanael, who arrived just in time for the end, have been a source of continuing joy and have helped to keep my work in proper perspective. Finally, it is impossible to express in words my gratitude to Melissa, without whom this work would not have been possible. In this case, the correlate to Hauerwas’s rule surely applies: “You always marry the right person!” iii Table of Contents Abbreviations ................................................................................................ vii Chapter 1 – Introduction ................................................................................. 1 I. The Compelling Theologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Stanley Hauerwas ............ 1 II. The Church-World Problematic in Modernity ....................................................... 4 III. The Eclipse of the Church in Modern Protestantism ............................................ 6 IV. The Effacing of Jesus Christ in Modern Theology ................................................. 8 V. The Importance of Karl Barth for Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas ............................. 10 5.1 Bonhoeffer: “The Theology of Crisis . .” .......................................................... 13 5.2 Hauerwas: “On Doctrine and Ethics” ............................................................... 15 VI: Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas: Christ, Church and World .................................... 19 Chapter 2 – “This Man is God!”: The Person of Jesus Christ .................... 22 Part 1: The Christology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer ......................................................... 23 1.1 The Centrality of Jesus Christ in Bonhoeffer’s Thought ...................................... 23 1.2 Background to the Christology Lectures ............................................................. 24 1.3 Bonhoeffer’s Prolegomena to the Christology Lectures ...................................... 27 1.4 The Present Christ ............................................................................................. 32 1.5 The Historical Christ ......................................................................................... 48 1.6 The Eternal Christ.............................................................................................. 53 Part 2: The Christology of Stanley Hauerwas ............................................................ 53 2.1 Early Influences ................................................................................................. 53 2.2 “The Humanity of the Divine” ........................................................................... 57 2.3 “Jesus: The Story of the Kingdom” .................................................................... 59 2.4 “Jesus: The Presence of the Peaceable Kingdom” ............................................. 65 2.5 The Christology of Cross-Shattered Christ and Matthew .................................... 75 Part 3: Christological Conclusions .............................................................................. 82 3.1 Jesus is Lord! ..................................................................................................... 83 3.2 Jesus is Lord! ..................................................................................................... 85 3.3 Jesus is Lord! ..................................................................................................... 91 Chapter 3 – A Peculiar People: The Church of Jesus Christ ...................... 93 Part 1: The Ecclesiology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer ........................................................ 94 1.1 Background to the Finkenwalde Writings ........................................................... 94 1.2 How the Church Became Worldly Through the Peddling of Cheap Grace .......... 96 1.3 The Church as a Visible Community of Disciples ............................................... 99 1.4 Objections to Bonhoeffer’s Construal of Discipleship ...................................... 105 iv 1.5 The Church in the Economy of Salvation .......................................................... 108 1.6 Bonhoeffer’s Ecclesiological Criticism of Barth ............................................... 118 1.7 Practicing the Presence of Christ: Life Together ............................................. 123 Part 2: The Ecclesiology of Stanley Hauerwas ......................................................... 130 2.1 Background to Hauerwas’s ‘Popular’ Ecclesiology Writings ........................... 130 2.2 The Twilight of Christendom ............................................................................ 132 2.3 The Church as a Colony of Resident Aliens ...................................................... 139 2.4 Objections to Hauerwas’s “Colonialism” ........................................................ 144 2.5 The Church in the Economy of Salvation .......................................................... 151 2.6 Hauerwas’s Ecclesiological Criticism of Barth ................................................ 158 2.7 The Practices of a Disciplined Community ....................................................... 163 Part 3: Ecclesiological Conclusions ........................................................................... 168 3.1 The Church is “One” ....................................................................................... 168 3.2 The Church is “Holy” ...................................................................................... 174 3.3 The Church is “Catholic” ................................................................................ 181 3.4 The Church is “Apostolic” ............................................................................... 191 Chapter 4 – For the Life of the World: Church and World Revisited...... 198 Part 1: Church and World in the Theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer ........................ 199 1.1 Background to the Writings of 1940-1945 ........................................................ 199 1.2 Church and State ............................................................................................. 202 1.3 The Worldliness of Faith .................................................................................. 222 1.4 Friendship........................................................................................................ 231 Part
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