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Durham E-Theses The practice of the imitation of Christ with special reference to the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeer. Adam, Peter James Hedderwick How to cite: Adam, Peter James Hedderwick (1981) The practice of the imitation of Christ with special reference to the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeer., Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/7559/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 ABSTRACT The Practice of the Imitation of Christ with special reference to the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. by Peter James Hedderwick Adam This thesis is a theological investigation of the Imitation of Christ. It is a study of the Imitation of Christ as a theological theme as it occurs in Christian theology. The theme of the Imitation of Christ is investigated in two areas, that of Christian theology in general in the first and larger section of the thesis, and that of the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the second section. In the first section, the Imitation of Christ is studied in the following ways. The various strands of the Imitation tradition are analysed, the Imitation of Christ is studied as an instance of the human practice of Imitation, the Christological issues are investigated, as also is the relationship between Imitation and Christian theology. In the second section Bonhoeffer's notion of the Imitation of Christ is studied in the light of the issues raised in the first section. Thus Bonhoeffer's place in the Imitation tradition is assessed, and more light shed on the nature of the Imitation of Christ. - 1 - The Practice of the Imitation of Christ with special reference to the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Peter James Hedderwick Adam The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. Ph.D. University of Durham Department of Theology 1981 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration and Statement of Copyright p.7 Acknowledgements p. 8 CHAPTER ONE : INTRODUCTION The purpose and style of this thesis p.9 Choice of Imitation Material. p.13 De Imitatione Christi. p.16 SECTION ONE : THE IMITATION OF CHRIST IN CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY CHAPTER TWO : THE PHENOMENON OF THE IMITATION OF CHRIST Introduction. p.21 1. Ethical Imitation. p.22 (a) Examples of Ethical Imitation. p.23 (b) Imitation of Christ's Actions or Attitudes. p.24 (c) Imitation in Action or Attitude. p.28 (d) The practice of Imitation as a Test of Christianity. p.30 (e) Imitation and Suffering. p.33 (f) Imitation and Service. p.42 (g) Christ the Ideal of Humanity. p.46 2. Religious Imitation. p.49 (a) Christ as Model Son. p.50 (b) Imitation of the Movement of Christ. p.56 (c) Christ the Image of God. p.63 (d) Christ the Receiver of the Spirit. p.69 (e) Imitation in Religious Actions. p.71 3. Mystical Imitation. p.73 4 CHAPTER THREE : THE IMITATION OF CHRIST AND THE GENERAL PRACTICE OF IMITATION Introduction. p.79 1. Imitation in Ethics and Behaviour. (a) Imitation, its Prevalence and Use. p.81 (b) Conscious and Unconscious Imitation. p.82 (c) The Function of the Model. p.83 (d) Insights of Psychology. p.85 (e) Three Objections to Imitation. p.87 (i) Imitation and Creativity. p.88 (ii) Imitation and Self-expression. p.90 (iii) Imitation and Moral Responsibility. p.94 2. Imitation in the Religious Life of Man. p.98 (a) Imitation of God. p.98 (b) Imitation of Holy Men. p.101 3. Mystical Imitation in Human Life. p.106 Conclusion. p.108 CHAPTER FOUR : SOME FEATURES OF CHRIST AS EXEMPLAR Introduction. p.110 1. The Divine Nature of Christ. p.Ill 2. The Saving Purpose of Christ. p.123 3. The Perfection of Christ. p.126 4. The Ambiguity of Christ's witness. p.130 5. The Universal Value of Christ. p.135 6. The Distance of Christ from his present-day p.142 Imitators. 5 /CHAPTER FIVE : THE IMITATION OF CHRIST AND CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY 1. Introduction. p. 152 2. Imitation of Christ and Grace- p.158 3. Imitation and the Means of Grace. p. 166 4. Imitation and Man's Perfectibility. p.169 5. Imitation and Eschatology. p.171 6. Imitation of Christ and the Church. p. 174 7. Imitation of Christ and the Trinity. p.176 8. Imitation and the Humanity of Christ- p. 177 Conclusion to Section One. p. 184 SECTION TWO : THE IMITATION OF CHRIST IN THE THOUGHT OF DIETRICH BONHOEFFER CHAPTER SIX : THE IMITATION OF CHRIST IN DIETRICH BONHOEFFER1S THEOLOGY Introduction. p.187 The First Period: 1927-33. p.191 The Second Period; 1933-40. p.214 The Third Period: 1940-45- p.235 CHAPTER SEVEN : DIETRICH BONHOEFFER AND THE IMITATION OF CHRIST 1. Dietrich Bonhoeffer - an Imitator of Christ? p. 260 2. Bonhoeffer and the Imitation of Christ Tradition. p. 265 Endnotes. Chapter One p.275 Chapter Two p.277 Chapter Three p. 289 Chapter Four p.292 Chapter Five p. 298 Chapter Six p.301 Chapter Seven p.313 6 BIBLIOGRAPHY Chapters One to Five p.316 Chapters Six and Seven p. 329 * * * Declaration and Statement of Copyright. I certify that the material of this thesis is the product of my own research and that no part of it has been submitted for a degree to this or in any other university. 7> .^>V AAa. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. 8 Acknowledgments. I wish to record my gratitude to those who have helped me in various ways during the time of the production of this thesis. I am most deeply indebted to my supervisor, Professor Stephen Sykes, for his encouragement, kindness, and stimulating comments. I am grateful to St John's College for hospitality and friendship. I am especially grateful to past and present colleagues, including John Cockerton, Ruth Etchells, Bruce Kaye, and Michael Vasey. My gratitude is also due to many other friends in England and Australia, who have supported me in various ways. 9 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION The purpose and style of this^nesis. This thesis is an attempt to answer the question "What is the Imitation of Christ?" It takes the form of a theological investigation of the Imitation of Christ in two areas, that of Christian theology in general, and that of the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The particular character of this investigation is perhaps most clearly described by way of contrast with some alternative methods of treating the subject which were discarded at earlier stages of this research. The project began as a study of the Imitation of Christ in "Neo-orthodoxy", speedily resolving itself on grounds of length into a study of Bonhoeffer. A study of the Imitation of Christ in Bonhoeffer could have produced a valuable contribution to the Bonhoeffer debate, and may perhaps have provided a new way of understanding his theology. However before this theme could be investigated in Bonhoeffer's theology, it was felt necessary to write a brief account of the Imitation tradition. It was at this stage that I began to realise not only the extent of the Imitation tradition but also its theological richness, and this suggested new possibilities for this research project. One, which was soon abandoned, was to write a history of the Imitation tradition. The time and space available were not sufficient for this exercise. Another possibility was that of a 10 theological treatment of the theme of the Imitation of Christ, and I decided to pursue this in terms of Christian theology in general and Bonhoeffer's theology in particular. In the event, this has not resulted in an historical study of the theology of Imitation, but rather in an investigation of the theological shape of the continuing Imitation tradition. For it became evident that the different instances of Imitation in the history of Christian theology exhibited a striking family resemblance in the kind of theological issues that were raised. Despite considerable variety of expression, there was such continuity that it was possible to think of an Imitation tradition. It is this tradition which is the subject of investigation in this thesis. The discovery of this one Imitation tradition has resulted in a way of using the material which deserves comment. My method is theological rather than historical: though I use quotations from various theologians and writers, the quotations are used as contemporary voices, as material for my theological argument, and not in an attempt to describe their particular theologies. So ideas and words of various theologians are abstracted from their historical setting and employed in the context of my discussion: there is no attempt to do justice to the thought of any author except Bonhoeffer.