DOCSLIB.ORG

Dietrich Bonhoeffer Confessing Christ in Nazi Germany Table of Contents

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Dietrich Bonhoeffer Confessing Christ in Nazi Germany Table of Contents Revisiting the Manhattan Declaration n The Minister’s Toolbox Spring 2011 Dietrich Bonhoeffer Confessing Christ in Nazi Germany Table of Contents FROM THE DEAN EDITORIAL TEAM A Tale of Two Declarations Dean Timothy George 2 HISTORY Director of External Relations Tal Prince (M.Div. ’01) A Spoke in the Wheel Confessing Christ in Nazi Germany Editor 4 Betsy Childs CULTURE Costly Grace and Christian Designer Witness Jesse Palmer 12 TheVeryIdea.com Revisiting the Manhattan Declaration Photography Sheri Herum Chase Kuhn MINISTRY Rebecca Long Caroline Summers The Minister’s Toolbox 16 Why Ministers Buy Books For details on the cover image, please see page 4. COMMUNITY Beeson was created using Adobe InDesign CS4, Adobe PhotoShop CS4, CorelDraw X4, Beeson Portrait Microsoft Word 2007, and Bitstream typefaces Paula Davis Modern 20 and AlineaSans.AlineaSerif. 20 ...at this critical moment in our life together, we Community News Revisiting the Manhattan Declaration find it important to stand together in a common struggle, to practice what I Beeson Alumni once called “an ecumenism of the trenches.” Beeson Divinity School Carolyn McKinstry Tells Her Story Samford University 800 Lakeshore Drive Dean Timothy George Birmingham, AL 35229 MINISTRY (205) 726-2991 www.beesondivinity.com Every Person a Pastor ©2011-2012 Beeson Divinity School 28 eeson is affiliated with the National Association of Evangelicals and is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States Band Canada. Samford University is an Equal Opportunity Institution that complies with applicable law prohibiting discrimination in its educational and employment ROW 1; A Tale of Two Declarations 2; A Spoke in the Wheel 4; policies and does not unlawfully discriminate on the Costly Grace and Christian Witness 12; ROW 2;The Minister’s Toolbox 16; basis of race, color, sex, age, disability, or national or ethnic origin. Beeson Portrait 20; Community News 22; Alumni News 24. of Jesus in John 14:6, an of religious opinion. Both are 5 From the Dean assertion that demands a movements of the Spirit and decision: “I am the Way, calls to commitment. Stefanie the Truth and the Life. No von Mackensen, the only woman one comes to the Father delegate at Barmen, later said except through me.” that she had felt the presence of A Tale of Two Declarations Second, neither the Holy Spirit sweep the room Barmen nor Manhattan when the Barmen Declaration are “political” statements was unanimously adopted and in the sense of being tied the congregation rose and sang to a particular political spontaneously, “Now Thank We By Timothy George party or ideology. The All Our God.” Both Barmen and Courtesy of Manhattan Declaration Manhattan of Courtesy MD has been signed by Manhattan recognize “the cost of Democrats, Republicans, discipleship.” Both call for the kind onhoeffer faced a church everyone who had eyes to see. Manhattan Declaration (MD), Chuck Colson speaks at the and Independents alike. Some say of conscientious courage that dares that had bowed its knee to The Barmen Declaration set a recent statement of Christian Manhattan Declaration press today that the church should take to count the cost of following Jesus the reigning culture, but we forth in six clearly written articles conscience affirming the sanctity conference on Nov. 20, 2009. a sabbatical from speaking to the Christ along the way that leads are facing that today as well. the meaning of Christian faith and of human life from conception Barmen was deleted in the final culture at large. Hitler himself finally to the cross. The situation that compelled life based on the Holy Scriptures to natural death, the dignity of form of the MD for several good was happy (at least for a while) Pastor Steven Grund, the main BBonhoeffer and the other Confessing and the great confessions of the marriage as a lifelong covenantal reasons. First, the plight of the to leave the Christians alone so figure in John Maarten’s storyThe Church leaders to draft the Barmen sixteenth-century Reformation. It union between one man and one church in North America today, long as they stayed within the four Village on the Hill, wrote from his Declaration in the 1930’s is not so rejected the totalitarian claims of woman, and religious freedom for serious as it is, is not analogous to walls of their church buildings prison cell: “If the church sleeps terribly different from the current the state and called the German all persons. The MD was drafted the repression Jews, Christians and and refrained from “meddling” in and her witness is silent, then she situation that has compelled Christian church back to the central by Chuck Colson, Robert George, many others experienced in Hitler’s matters related to public policy will not be attacked and may live leaders to draft the Manhattan truths of the Gospel. It did so by and me and released in November, Germany. Second, the Barmen and the common life of the in comfort, but she betrays her Declaration. announcing in its first article that 2009. Within one year of its Declaration was written and signed German people. But both Barmen Lord. But when the church awakes —Eric Metaxas “Jesus Christ, as he has attested release, the MD had garnered the for us in the Holy Scripture, is the signatures of some half-million by only Protestant (Lutheran and Manhattan refuse to say that and speaks, then come storms and and Reformed) Christians, there are areas of life which do not sorrow and the cross, but the Lord It was a bright, sunny day on one Word of God which we have Christian believers. You can find whereas the MD includes Roman belong to Jesus Christ. Both affirm May 31, 1934, not a cloud in the to hear and which we have to trust out more about the Manhattan is near.” 5 Catholic, evangelical Protestant the sovereignty of God and the sky, when 139 delegates from and obey in life and in death.” Declaration on its website: and Eastern Orthodox voices. lordship of Jesus Christ. The presentations on Barmen will Protestant churches throughout During the spring semester of www.manhattandeclaration.org. None of us is interested in an Finally, both Barmen and be posted at www.beesondivinity.com. Germany came together in the 2011, the community of Beeson It needs to be said that these easygoing ecumenism that blurs Manhattan are more than mere There you can also subscribe to the town of Barmen and issued the Divinity School is studying the three issues are not the only the theological convictions we hold statements of academic discourse. Beeson Podcast with weekly postings Theological Declaration of the First Barmen Declaration and asking matters of pressing moral concern dear. But at this critical moment They are not mere declarations of sermons, lectures, and interviews. Confessional Synod of the German what it can mean for us today. “To in our culture today. Many issues in our life together, we find it Evangelical Church. Though the the Winds Thy Fears,” from a hymn call for Christian engagement. important to stand together in a weather was beautiful that day, the text by Paul Gerhardt (translated Care of creation, racial injustice, common struggle, to practice what storm clouds of a gathering crisis by John Wesley), is the theme of the proliferation of violence, the I once called “an ecumenism of the were evident to believing Christians our community worship services spread of HIV-AIDS, the blight of trenches.” in the Third Reich. The Barmen this spring. Each week in Hodges poverty and hunger around the Still, Metaxas is right to discern Declaration nowhere mentioned Chapel, we will listen to sermons world, and many others are all an underlying similarity between Hitler or the Nazis by name, but on the significance of the Barmen areas of concern. But life, marriage the statements of 1934 and 2009. the issues which gave rise to this Declaration today. We shall also and freedom are threshold issues First, both Barmen and the confession of faith were known to sing some of the great hymns of on which so much else depends. If Luther and Gerhardt and listen Christians cannot stand together MD appeal to the authority of Holy to the music of the on the sanctity of life, the dignity Scripture. Each offers quotations Reformation that so of marriage, and religious freedom from the Bible as the theological inspired Bonhoeffer and for all, then how can we act with basis of its statements. Each other believers in the any moral earnestness on a host of recognizes that the Christian Confessing Church. other concerns that press upon us? faith can be, and often has been, One of the speakers The Manhattan Declaration distorted by accommodation to in our series will be Eric was written on the seventy- the “prevailing ideological and Metaxas, a biographer fifth anniversary of the Barmen political convictions” of the day. of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Declaration. The early drafts of the Thus, it is not surprising that He, among others, has MD did cite the Barmen statement both Barmen and Manhattan compared the Barmen as a precedent that inspired our have been controversial. Each Declaration to the concern. But the reference to document subscribes the claim ►Timothy George is founding Dean Gemarker Kirche, site of the Synod of Barmen of Beeson Divinity School BEESON | SPRING 2011 m Page 3 Nazi racial laws and the Führer about human identity and He addressed the issue of 5 History Principle. They thought that by community. Across Europe and the church’s attitude toward wedding the church to the state, the world, there had often been the state and created common they would restore the church strong taboos against mixing races ground with his skeptical readers and Germany to her former glory, and ethnicities.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Religionless Christianity Excerpts from Letters and Papers from Prison
    Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Religionless Christianity Excerpts from Letters and Papers from Prison The following excerpts are taken from Letters and Papers from Prison1, a collection of writings by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. These writings were composed by Bonhoeffer between April 1943 and February 1945, while he was imprisoned in Germany. Unless otherwise noted, all of the following excerpts are taken from letters Bonhoeffer wrote to his friend and colleague Eberhard Bethge, who later edited this volume of Bonhoeffer’s writings. --------------- From the Preface by Eberhard Bethge Here is an account of the life lived by some conscientious Christians and others at a greater remove from belief, when the dilemma of both an external and an internal destruction came upon them. It was at precisely that point that Bonhoeffer’s visions of a future Christianity took shape. (p. x) --------------- …my fear and distrust of ‘religiosity’ have become greater than ever here. The fact that the Israelites never uttered the name of God always makes me think, and I can understand it better as I go on. (p. 135) --------------- You would be surprised, and perhaps even worried, by my theological thoughts and the conclusions that they lead to: and this is where I miss you most of all, because I don’t know anyone else with whom I could so well discuss them to have my thinking clarified. What is bothering me incessantly is the question what Christianity really is, or indeed who Christ really is, for us today. The time when people could be told everything by means of words, whether theological or pious, is over, and so is the time of inwardness and conscience – and that means the time of religion in general.
    [Show full text]
  • A Preliminary Investigation and Critique of the Ethics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
    Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Master's Theses Theses and Dissertations 1968 A Preliminary Investigation and Critique of the Ethics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer David W. Clark Loyola University Chicago Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_theses Part of the Philosophy Commons Recommended Citation Clark, David W., "A Preliminary Investigation and Critique of the Ethics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer" (1968). Master's Theses. 2118. https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_theses/2118 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Loyola eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of Loyola eCommons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. Copyright © 1968 David W. Clark A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AND CRITIQUE OF THE ETHICS OF DIETRICH BONHOEFFER by David W. Clark A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate School, Loyola University, Ohicago, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for !he Degree of Master of Arts J~e 1968 PREFACE This paper is a preliminary investigation of the "Christian Ethics" of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in terms of its self-consistency and sufficiency for moral guidance. As Christian, Bonhoefferts ethic serves as a concrete instance of the ways in which reli­ gious dogmas are both regulative and formative of human behavioro Accordingly, this paper will study (a) the internal consistency of the revealed data and structural principles within Bonhoef­ ferts system, and (b) the significance of biblical directives for moral decisionso The question of Bonhoefferfs "success," then, presents a double problem.
    [Show full text]
  • Tabalujan, Benny Simon (2020) Improving Church Governance: Lessons from Governance Failures in Different Church Polities
    Tabalujan, Benny Simon (2020) Improving church governance: Lessons from governance failures in different church polities. MTh(R) thesis. https://theses.gla.ac.uk/81403/ Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Enlighten: Theses https://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Improving Church Governance Lessons from Governance Failures in Different Church Polities by Benny Simon TABALUJAN A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Theology (University of Glasgow) Edinburgh Theological Seminary 10 December 2019 © Benny Tabalujan, 2019 i Abstract This thesis focuses on the question as to whether using a particular church polity raises the likelihood of governance failure. Using the case study research method, I examine six case studies of church governance failures reported in the past two decades in the English media of mainly Western jurisdictions. The six case studies involve churches in the United States, Australia, Honduras, and Singapore. Three of the case studies involve sexual matters while another three involve financial matters. For each type of misconduct or alleged misconduct, one case study is chosen involving a church with congregational polity, presbyteral polity, and episcopal polity, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • Faith and Politics: an Augustinian Reflection Anfaith Augustinian and Politics: Reflection an Augustinian Reflection Robin Lovin Robin Lovin Robin Lovin
    AN OCCASIONAL PAPER AN OCCASIONAL PAPER VOLUME 29 VAON LUMEOCC A29SIONAL PAPER VOLUME 29 Faith and Politics: Faith and Politics: An Augustinian Reflection AnFaith Augustinian and Politics: Reflection An Augustinian Reflection Robin Lovin Robin Lovin Robin Lovin THE CARY M. MAGUIRE CENTER THE CARY M. MAGUIRE CENTER FOR ETHICS & PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY THE CARY M. MAGUIRE CENTER FOR ETHICS & PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY FOR ETHICS & PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY DALLAS, TEXAS SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY DALLAS, TEXAS DALLAS, TEXAS VOLUME 1 “The Private and Public Intellectual in the World and the Academy” James K. Hopkins VOLUME 2 “Managed Care: Some Basic Ethical Issues” James F. Childress Part of the Maguire Ethics Center’s mission is to “provide moral reflection VOLUME 3 “Journalism as a High Profession in Spite of Itself” William Lee Miller on contemporary issues.” Certainly, one of the more visible ways we do that VOLUME 4 “The New Media: The Internet, Democracy, Free Speech and the Richard O. Mason is by providing a venue for customary scholarly discourse for select SMU Management of Temperance” professors, and occasionally, visiting scholars. VOLUME 5 “Look, her lips’: Softness of Voice, Construction of Character in King Lear” Michael Holahan In ancient Athens, elders would provide an oral narration intended to pass VOLUME 6 “Pilgrimage and the Desire for Meaning” Bonnie Wheeler along the values, customs and beliefs from one generation to the next one. By the Renaissance, the practice transformed into written form through public VOLUME 7 “Politics as a Calling” Joseph L. Allen essays designed to be widely shared among community members.
    [Show full text]
  • Militant Liturgies: Practicing Christianity with Kierkegaard, Bonhoeffer, and Weil
    religions Article Militant Liturgies: Practicing Christianity with Kierkegaard, Bonhoeffer, and Weil J. Aaron Simmons Department of Philosophy, Furman University, Greenville, SC 29613, USA; [email protected] Abstract: Traditional philosophy of religion has tended to focus on the doxastic dimension of religious life, which although a vitally important area of research, has often come at the cost of philosophical engagements with religious practice. Focusing particularly on Christian traditions, this essay offers a sustained reflection on one particular model of embodied Christian practice as presented in the work of Søren Kierkegaard. After a discussion of different notions of practice and perfection, the paper turns to Kierkegaard’s conception of the two churches: the Church Triumphant and the Church Militant. Then, in light of Kierkegaard’s defense of the latter and critique of the former, it is shown that Kierkegaard’s specific account gets appropriated and expanded in Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s account of “costly grace” and “religionless Christianity,” and Simone Weil’s conception of “afflicted love.” Ultimately, it is suggested that these three thinkers jointly present a notion of “militant liturgies” that offers critical and constructive resources for contemporary philosophy of religion. Keywords: Kierkegaard; Bonhoeffer; Weil; philosophy of religion; liturgy; practice; Christianity Citation: Simmons, J. Aaron. 2021. 1. Introduction Militant Liturgies: Practicing It is often the case that philosophical discussions of Christianity overstate the unity Christianity with Kierkegaard, Bonhoeffer, and Weil. Religions 12: by which the Christian traditions operate. In the name of referential precision, perhaps 340. https://doi.org/10.3390/ we should only ever speak of “Christianities” or, as this special issue theme admirably rel12050340 does, “Christian traditions”.
    [Show full text]
  • A Level Philosopy, Ethics and the Study of Religion
    Philosophy: Investigations are upon rational thinking, striving to make no unexamined assumptions and no leaps based on faith or pure analogy. Ethics: Encompasses right conduct and good living. How do we decide upon right and wrong and which authority takes priority? Developments of Christian Thought: What will I study? Ethics: Ethical theories Philosophy: Natural law: Is morality innate, God given? Kantian Ethics: Are we duty bound to Ancient Greek Influences behave in a certain way? Plato Utilitarianism: Does the masses always Aristotle take priority over the alone individual Religious Ethics: Does morality only come Traditional arguments from those who have a belief God? Cosmological: Does the universe need a Ethical issues: Embryo research, theft ext. cause? Meta Ethics: ‘The gun is good.’ How can Teleological: Is there evidence for design in this be a valid statement? the world? Sexual Ethics: Does following our duty Religious Language: If something cannot provide us with the best guidance towards be proven, is it then not true? sex Attributes of God. Euthanasia: Miracles: How can an arbitrary God be Free Will and Determinism: Is there such worthy of worship? thing as free will, are all our actions are Religious Experience: If there is a God, are predetermine? there likely to be experiences of him? The Conscience: Are humans motivated by Evil and suffering: Is there a justification self- love and benevolence? for evil and suffering in the world Religious identity: The role of faith, works Arguments for the existence of God: and rituals. What is the evidence for existence of God? The nature and function of religion.
    [Show full text]
  • “Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Apocalyptic Theology, and the Possibility of Christian Ethics”
    “Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Apocalyptic Theology, and the Possibility of Christian Ethics” Brooklyne Oliveira W&L Department of Religion ii Acknowledgements: I owe a debt of gratitude to Professor Marks for first having introduced me to the wonderful world of religious studies, Professor Brown for her matchless support as advisor, mentor, and friend, Professor Kosky for his critical eye and constant encouragement, and Professor Pickett for our innumerable conversations about Bonhoeffer, Christian ethics, and his willingness to undertake this project with me. Finally, I am forever grateful to my parents, who have supported my passion and interest in studying theology, and to my brother, who first introduced me to Bonhoeffer and remains a faithful sounding board for all my musings about theology, philosophy, music, and of course, movies. iii Abstract: If one takes the assertions of Christianity seriously – that God became incarnate, was crucified, resurrected, and will come again – then one faces complex questions about worldly human responsibility and agency. Indeed, God’s apocalyptic intervention in history appears to override the possibility of meaningful human responsibility or agency, seemingly eliminating the possibility of Christian ethics. In this paper, I explore this ‘problem of Christian ethics,’ finding a solution in a reading of the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer through the lens of Pauline apocalyptic. I argue that Bonhoeffer restores the viability and integrity of Christian ethics by adopting a thoroughly apocalyptic theology, affirming human responsibility and agency in a world that is ultimately in the hands of a sovereign God. Far from issuing a call to follow an ethical program or a facile imitation of Jesus, Bonhoeffer develops what scholar Philip Ziegler calls a “theological ethics of God’s apocalypse,” one in which human knowledge, agency, and ethics are radically transformed by the apocalypse of Christ’s incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection.
    [Show full text]
  • Beyond All Cost
    BEYOND ALL COST A Play about Dietrich Bonhoeffer By Thomas J. Gardiner Performance Rights It is an infringement of the federal copyright law to copy or reproduce this script in any manner or to perform this play without royalty payment. All rights are controlled by Eldridge Publishing Co. Inc. Call the publisher for additional scripts and further licensing information. The author’s name must appear on all programs and advertising with the notice: “Produced by special arrangement with Eldridge Publishing Co. Inc.” PUBLISHED BY ELDRIDGE PUBLISHING 95church.com © 1977 & 1993 by Thomas J. Gardiner Download your complete script from Eldridge Publishing https://95church.com/beyond-all-cost Beyond All Cost - 2 - DEDICATION Grateful acknowledgement is hereby made to: Harper & Row, Macmillan Publishing Company, and Christian Kaiser Verlag for their permission to quote from the works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Eberhard Bethge. The Chorus of Prisoners is dramatized from Bonhoeffer's poem "Night Voices in Tegel," used by permission of SCM Press, London. My thanks to Edward Tolk for his translations from “Mein Kampf,” and to Union Theological Library for allowing me access to their special collections. STORY OF THE PLAY The play tells the true story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor who led the resistance to Hitler in the German church. Narrated by Eberhard Bethge, his personal friend, companion and biographer, the play follows Bonhoeffer from his years as a seminary professor in northern Germany, through the turbulent challenges presented by Hitler’s efforts to seize and wield power in both the state and the church. Bonhoeffer is seen leading his students to organize an underground seminary, to distribute clandestine anti-Nazi literature, and eventually to declare open public defiance of Hitler’s authority.
    [Show full text]
  • One Way Love Cover Transmit.Indd 1 7/31/13 2:33 PM Bestselling Author Tullian Tchividjian Is Convinced “Tullian Captures the Wonder of Grace and Offers It to Us All
    BESTSELLING AUTHOR TULLIAN TCHIVIDJIAN IS CONVINCED “Tullian captures the wonder of grace and offers it to us all. OUR WORLD NEEDS A FRESH ENCOUNTER WITH GRACE I urge you to read this book!” Max Lucado, pastor and bestselling author “Tullian, my grandson, has a deep understanding of the Gospel, and his unique ability to communicate its timeless truths with compassion and insight have already had a profound impact. May God use this book to expand your understanding of what Jesus Christ has already done for you.” Billy Graham, evangelist and author of The Reason for My Hope “In the pressure-cooker world of professional sports that I live in, where it’s tempting to locate my value in how I perform, Tullian’s book comes as a relieving breath of fresh air.” Tony Romo, quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys “My friend Tullian is a man on fire. He has one thing to say: Jesus came to set you free. This book will make you laugh and cry. But most importantly, it wonderfully points you to the only man and message that can lighten your load and bring you the rest you’ve been searching for your whole life.” Rick Warren, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Purpose Driven Life and pastor of Saddleback Church “I could not stop reading this book. I could not stop thinking about this book. I could not stop returning to this book. It’s like getting your life on a one-way street to everything you ever hoped for.” Ann Voskamp, New York Times bestselling author of One Thousand Gifts TULLIAN TCHIVIDJIAN is the senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; a lecturer at Knox Theological Seminary; the founder of LIBERATE; and a grandson of Billy and Ruth Graham.
    [Show full text]
  • The Compatibility of an Existential Perspective with Religion
    CHAPTER 8 THE COMPATIBILITY OF AN EXISTENTIAL PERSPECTIVE WITH RELIGION “In discussions of Existentialism, this idea of the baselessness and arbitrariness of human values is almost always the one that arouses protest.” (Van Cleve Morris, 1990, Existentialism in Education, p. 41) Concerns raised in response to any perspective described as existential are usually based upon the apparent ‘arbitrariness’ of values as identified by Morris in the passage above. A perspective of existential spirituality might be assumed to be potentially at odds with religious views because it privi- leges the centring of the person rather than of a doctrinal framework and therefore it might be considered as being inappropriate for religious-based schools. The purpose of this chapter is to examine whether the perspective of existential spirituality being developed here can be compatible with religious views, and if so, how it must be conceptualised. If existential philosophy is unable to readily lend itself to an acceptance of a deity and is unable to be seen as being able to embrace religious views, then opposition towards the adoption of existential spirituality for education could fairly be raised, not least because many educational institutions in western societies are clearly affiliated with various religions, especially those of Christianity. Sartre’s views have often made Existentialism appear inherently atheistic. A well-known connotation imputed to the philosophy is its denial of the existence of a deity or even of his ‘death’ but who in turn might be otherwise able to provide meaning to the lives of individuals. Christian theologians such as Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Paul Tillich and Rudolf Bultmann, who have used existential philosophy as a basis for their interpretations, often tend to demythologise religion giving little notice to the deity as an aspect of their particular world-views.
    [Show full text]
  • Editor's Introduction to the English Edition
    EDINTRO:EDINTRO.QXD 2/17/2009 10:29 AM Page 1 W AYNE W HITSON F LOYD, JR . EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION TO THE ENGLISH EDITION Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s name was introduced to the English-speaking world through the appreciative reception that was given to certain of his writings in the generation following the second world war. Titles such as The Cost of Discipleship, Life Together, Ethics, and Letters and Papers from Prison summoned an image of a courageous pastor and thoughtful the- ologian who rose above the confusion and inaction of his age not only to speak prophetic words of clarity but also to take costly actions of resis- tance against the horrors of National Socialism. His provocative words became a staple among those themselves searching for an adequate response to a ‘world come of age’ in the 1950s and 1960s. He evoked a fearless openness to the challenges of modernity, a way to be Christian without succumbing to mere religiosity, a spiritual path that led into the midst of this world, evoking a compassionate and redemptive embrace of both life’s gifts and its deep wounds and needs. Far less well known and read, however, were the works that come from the first half of Bonhoeffer’s adult life — the writings from the time of his academic preparation for an anticipated professional life as a univer- sity professor, as well as those that were the first fruits of his academic vocation. To be ignorant, however, of his first dissertation Sanctorum Communio,[1] or the university lectures later published as Creation and [1.] Sanctorum Communio was Bonhoeffer’s doctoral dissertation, the first of two theses that were required of a candidate wishing to receive a doctorate and to teach in a German university.
    [Show full text]
  • Racism in Southeast Texas Churches: a Plan for Reconciliation and Healing Among Its Church Community
    Liberty University School of Divinity Doctor of Ministry Thesis Project Racism In Southeast Texas Churches: A Plan For Reconciliation And Healing Among Its Church Community Submitted to The Faculty of the Rawlings School of Divinity in Candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Ministry BY William James Carter, The 1st Lynchburg, Virginia October 2019 Copyright © 2019 by William James Carter, I All Rights Reserved ii Thesis Project Approval Sheet ________________________ Dr. Micheal S. Pardue Instructional Mentor _________________________ Dr. Justin A. Smith Reader iii ABSTRACT A cursory look at many churches in the United States will show many local Churches are segregated by ethnicity and people groups. When this is done, it gives the appearance that the Church is broken because certain groups choose not to celebrate with others of different ethnicities. The problem is that there is a considerable reality to the appearance. With that, it is the intent of this project to examine the reasons for the divide. In order to determine the reasons, a survey will be provided, and classes taught examining the reasons for the divides. Additionally, this project will seek to understand some history of racism as it pertains to the church. This understanding will come from academic research to include the founding of denominations with obvious racial divides Some might suggest that local bodies should be representative of the communities in which they sit. Unfortunately, most are not. The ultimate goal of this project is to allow church leaders and lay-members the opportunity for honest introspection as to the reasoning for separation because of ethnicity.
    [Show full text]