Stellvertretung as Vicarious Suffering in Dietrich Bonhoeffer This dissertation is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. by Samuel Paul Randall St. Edmund’s College December 2018 Stellvertretung as Vicarious Suffering in Dietrich Bonhoeffer Abstract Stellvertretung represents a consistent and central hermeneutic for Bonhoeffer. This thesis demonstrates that, in contrast to other translations, a more precise interpretation of Bonhoeffer’s use of Stellvertretung would be ‘vicarious suffering’. For Bonhoeffer Stellvertretung as ‘vicarious suffering’ illuminates not only the action of God in Christ for the sins of the world, but also Christian discipleship as participation in Christ’s suffering for others; to be as Christ: Schuldübernahme. In this understanding of Stellvertretung as vicarious suffering Bonhoeffer demonstrates independence from his Protestant (Lutheran) heritage and reflects an interpretation that bears comparison with broader ecumenical understanding. This study of Bonhoeffer’s writings draws attention to Bonhoeffer’s critical affection towards Catholicism and highlights the theological importance of vicarious suffering during a period of renewal in Catholic theology, popular piety and fictional literature. Although Bonhoeffer references fictional literature in his writings, and indicates its importance in ethical and theological discussion, there has been little attempt to analyse or consider its contribution to Bonhoeffer’s theology. This thesis fills this lacuna in its consideration of the reception by Bonhoeffer of the writings of Georges Bernanos, Reinhold Schneider and Fyodor Dostoevsky. Each of these writers features vicarious suffering, or its conceptual equivalent, as an important motif. According to Bonhoeffer Christian discipleship is the action of vicarious suffering (Stellvertretung) and of Verantwortung (responsibility) in love for others and of taking upon oneself the Schuld that burdens the world. Samuel Paul Randall 2 Acknowledgements I wish to express my gratitude to my long-suffering wife, Mirjam, and to thank her for the understanding, love, encouragement and endless patience she has demonstrated. This thesis about vicarious suffering has been lived out in our home and has required many sacrifices by Mirjam to make it possible. My children and their partners: Jessie and Joe, Ben and Rebekah, and Becky and Rob have all provided encouragement. However, it is the youngest members of our family, most of whom were born during the writing of this thesis, who provided much needed distraction: Eliana, Poppy, Talitha, Hubert and Jemima. A practical and welcome reminder of ‘the ground under my feet’. My thanks to those individuals and organisations who have provided various forms of practical support: Cyprian Blamires, the St Barnabas Society, the Bible Society, the Jerusalem Trust, Paul and Rosemarie Jobson, Richard Levitt, the St. Luke’s College Foundation, Stuart and Sally Holt, Bishop Alan Hopes, Jessica and Joseph Randall-Carrick, Count and Countess Damian and Mary Schönborn, and the Watersmete Benefice. Without these and others this thesis would not have been possible. Declarations This dissertation is the result of my own work and includes nothing which is the outcome of the work done in collaboration except as specified in the text. It is not substantially the same as any that I have submitted, or, is being currently submitted for a degree or diploma or any other qualification at the University of Cambridge or similar institution except as declared in the Preface and specified in the text. I further state that no substantial part of my dissertation has already been submitted, or, is being concurrently submitted for a degree or diploma or other qualification at the University of Cambridge or any other University or similar institution except as declared in the Preface and specified in the text. This dissertation (including footnotes and references but excluding prefatory material and bibliography) does not exceed the 80,000 prescribed word limit as set by the Faculty of Divinity of the University of Cambridge. 3 Table of Contents Page numbers Abbreviations 7 A Note on Translation 7 Introduction 8 Part One Bonhoeffer’s Theological Heritage and Context 12 Martin Luther – Bonhoeffer’s ‘Nullpunkt’ 18 Karl Holl and the Luther Renaissance 25 Stellvertretung and Karl Barth 29 Bonhoeffer’s Catholic Context 35 Bonhoeffer and Catholicism 38 Vicarious Suffering in Catholic Belief and Practice 54 Stellvertretung as Vicarious Suffering in Catholic Theological Discourse: 63 Hans Urs von Balthasar, Mystici Corporis Christi and Edith Stein Part Two Bonhoeffer’s Cultural and Religious Context 77 The Significance of Fictional Literature 77 Literatur der Stellvertretung 84 Georges Bernanos 86 The German Dostoevsky Renaissance 90 Dostoevsky and Dialectical Theology 91 Bonhoeffer and Dostoevsky 94 Stellvertretung as Vicarious Suffering in German Literature 101 Reinhold Schneider 103 Poetry as Resistance 106 Schneider’s Poetry 108 4 Part Three Stellvertretung as Vicarious Suffering in Bonhoeffer’s Writings 114 Stellvertretung as Bonhoeffer’s Grundkategorie 115 Study and Research (Summer 1923-June 1931) 119 Sanctorum Communio (1927) 120 Akt und Sein (1930) 128 Wie urteilt Paulus über die irdischen Leiden? (1930) 129 Union Theological Seminary (September 1930-June 1931) 130 The Berlin Period (June 1931-October 1933) 131 Die Geschichte der Systematischen Theologie des 20 Jahrhunderts (1931-32) 132 Das Recht auf Selbstbehauptung (February 1932) 133 Theologische Psychologie (November 1932) 133 Das Wesen der Kirche (1932) 134 Schöpfung und Sünde (1933) 136 Christologie (Summer 1933) 137 Die Kirche vor der Judenfrage (June 1933) 139 The ‘Finkenwalde’ Period (May 1935-March 1940) 146 Predigtentwurf zu Jesaja 53 (July 1935) 146 Vorlesungsabschnitt zu Gottesdienst und Bruderdienst (1935-1936) 147 Nachfolge (1937) 148 Gemeinsames Leben (September 1938) 162 Bibelkundliche Lehrveranstaltungen über Neutestamentliche Grundbegriffe (1938-39) 163 Protestantismus ohne Reformation (1939) 167 Conspiracy and Travel (March 1940-April 1943) 170 Ethik (September 1940-April 1943) 171 Rechenschaft an der Wende zum Jahr 1943 (Christmas 1942) 179 5 Prison Writings (5th April 1943- 9th February 1945) 181 Bonhoeffer’s Fiction 181 The ‘Theological’ Letters 186 Bonhoeffer’s Prison Poetry 203 Vergangenheit (‘Past’, 5th June 1944) 205 Glück und Unglück (‘Fortune and Misfortune’, Early June 1944) 206 Wer Bin Ich (‘Who am I’, 8th July 1944) 207 Nächtliche Stimmen (‘Voices in the Night’, 8th July 1944) 207 Christen und Heiden (‘Christians and Heathens’, 8th July 1944) 211 Stationen auf dem Wege zur Freiheit 213 (‘Stations on the Way to Freedom’, 14th August 1944) Der Freund (‘The Friend’, 28th August 1944) 215 Der Tod des Mose (‘The Death of Moses’, September 1944) 215 Jona (‘Jonah’, October 1944) 221 Von Guten Mächten (‘By Powers of Good’, New Year 1945) 224 Part Four Implications for Understanding Bonhoeffer 232 Stellvertretung - Etymology 233 Stellvertretung - Translation Challenges 236 Stellvertretung - ‘Substitution’ or ‘Representation’? 238 Stellvertretung and Christ 241 Stellvertretung and the Gemeinde 246 Conclusion 252 Bibliography 258 6 Abbreviations DBW Dietrich Bonhoeffer Werke, ed. Eberhard Bethge, Ernst Feil, Christian Gremmels, Wolfgang Huber, Hans Pfeifer, Albrecht Schönherr, Heinz Eduard Tödt, and Ilse Tödt, München: Kaiser Verlag, 1986-1998. DBWE Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works English, ed. Clifford J. Green, Wayne Whitson Floyd, Jr., John W. de Gruchy, Geffrey B. Kelly, John D. Godsey, Paul Matheny, Marshall D. Johnson, Victoria J. Barnett, Mark S. Brocker, Michael B. Lukens, Larry L. Rasmussen, Keith Clements, H. Gaylon Barker, Claudia Bergmann, Peter Frick, Scott Moore, Barbara Wojhoski, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996- 2013. DB-EB Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Biography, by Eberhard Bethge, rev. and ed. Victoria Barnett, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2000. DB-EBG Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Theologe, Christ, Zeitgenosse: Eine Biographie, Eberhard Bethge, Munich: Chr. Kaiser Verlag, 1967. ESW Edith Steins Werke, Freiburg: Herder, 1934-1998. ESGA Edith Stein Gesamtausgabe, Freiburg: Herder, 2000-2009. CWES Collected Works of Edith Stein, Washington, DC: Institute for Carmelite Studies, 1986-2002. CD Church Dogmatics, by Karl Barth, ed. T. F. Torrance and G. W. Bromiley, Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1957-1988. KD Kirchliche Dogmatik, by Karl Barth, Zollikon-Zürich: Evangelischer Verlag, etc. 1932- 1967. BADG A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, by W. Bauer, F. W. Arndt, W. F. Gingrich, F. W., Chicago: University of Chicago , 1957 and 2000. WA Weimarer Ausgabe, Martin Luthers Werke: Kritische Gesamtausgabe Hermann Bohlau and H. Bohlaus Nachfolger, Weimar, 1883-2009. LW Luther’s Works, ed. Jaroslav Pelikan and Helmut T. Lehmann, Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press and St. Louis Missouri: Concordia Publishing House, 1900- 1986. A Note on Translation In some places where the original text is provided this is followed by a translation for comparison in brackets. All other original translations are indicated in the footnotes. ‘Vivendo, immo moriendo et damnando fit theologus, non intelligendo, legend aut speculando’ (Martin Luther). 7 Introduction Bonhoeffer’s preferred term for the Church was ‘Gemeinde’ and in a summary of his 1927 doctoral dissertation Sanctorum Communio, Bonhoeffer described the Gemeinde as: Christus als Gemeinde existierend und als Kollektivperson zu verstehen, und diese ruht auf dem