In 1930 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a brilliant young theologian just beginning his career, taught for a year at Union Theological Seminary in New York. On weekends he volunteered to teach at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. He became deeply impressed by the gospel of social justice and by the intense worship style of African Americans.
Bonhoeffer returned to Germany as Hitler was rising to power and he quickly saw the connection between Hitler’s treatment of the Jews and the racial discrimination he had seen in America. Ominously, two days after Hitler was installed as Chancellor, as Bonhoeffer delivered a radio address denouncing Hitler, he was cut off the air.
Bonhoeffer story is one of struggle against Nazism and its intimidation of the German Church. His legacy includes a poignant body of work that documents his struggles to determine the will of God and his exemplary calm and concern for others as he faced the prospect of his own death. His insights into the grace of God and the cost of discipleship continue to challenge us today. Posthumously he has become a source of inspiration for people like Desmond Tutu, Vaclav Havel and Martin Luther King, Jr.The reading in Devotional Classics (p. 271) powerfully speaks to the subject of Christ in community, especially the role of Jesus Christ in the life of the Church.
I invite you to read with us--and add your comments to this posting! Several questions for thought:
- What do you hear Bonhoeffer saying at the opening of this passage? (Section 1)
- What does Bonhoeffer mean by 'alien righteousness'? (Section 2)
- What he communicate through the words alert, hungers, thirsts, desires? (Section 2)
- Why do we need another Christians?
- Describe a time when God used someone else to speak to you.
- Talk about Bonhoeffer's description of "our instruction in divine love" (section 6)
- What role does personal preference play in Christian community? (section 7)
Next week we will read Francis of Assisi: A Harvest of Souls
No comments:
Post a Comment