Theologians And You: Bonhoeffer

1. Theologians And You:Bonhoeffer

2. Bonhoeffer 1) Major Theological arguments: • Costly Grace • The Christian and the State 2) Results: What will happen? Goal: To understand how theologians can help in making those tough moral decisions. The goal of this Sunday is not to understand all the arguments, but to understand how theologians can help you deal with difficult issues.

3. Some Bio Info • Bonhoeffer Chronology Feb. 4, 1906--Dietrich and twin sister Sabine born in Breslau, Germany; the sixth child of Karl and Paula Bonhoeffer; his father a prominent professor of psychiatry and neurology; his mother one of the few women of her generation to obtain a university degree. • 1923--Began theological study at Tubingen University; studied under such prominent theologians as Adolf von Harnack, Hans Lietzmann, and Reinhold Seeberg. • Fall 1933--The Deutsche Christen gained control of many Protestant church governments throughout Germany; their policy of excluding those with "Jewish blood" from the ministry was approved, September 1933, by the national church synod at Wittenberg. May 1934--The anti-Nazi Confessing Church was organized Barmen, Germany; Bonhoeffer bitterly opposed the Aryan paragraph, arguing that its ratification surrendered Christian precepts to political ideology; if "non-Aryans" were banned from the ministry, he argued, then their colleagues should resign in solidarity, even if this meant the establishment of a new church a "confessing" church that would remain free of Nazi influence.

4. 1937--Finkenwalde Seminary closed by Gestapo; 27 former Finkenwalde students imprisoned; out of the experiences at Finkenwalde emerged his two well-known books, The Cost of Discipleship and Life Together, as well as his lesser known writings on pastoral ministry such as Spiritual Care; continued to prepare pastors in the Confessing Church all the way to 1939 • Went for a 2nd time to New York City in 1939- We’ll see parts of a movie to pick it up from there.

5. Three quotes from the theologian- Bonhoeffer: • “Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes. “ • "If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.“ • "A god who let us prove his existence would be an idol."

6. a) Cheap Grace (vs Costly Grace) • Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace. Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheapjacks’[Walmart?] wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices. Grace is represented as the Church’s inexhaustible treasury, from which she showers blessings with generous hands, without asking questions or fixing limits. Grace without price; grace without cost! The essence of grace, we suppose, is that the account has been paid in advance; and, because it has been paid, everything can be had for nothing....[45] • Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means forgiveness of sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God taught as the Christian 'conception' of God. An intellectual assent to that idea is held to be of itself sufficient to secure remission of sins.... In such a Church the world finds a cheap covering for its sins; no contrition is required, still less any real desire to be delivered from sin. Cheap grace therefore amounts to a denial of the living Word of God, in fact, a denial of the Incarnation of the Word of God.[45-46] • Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything they say, and so everything can remain as it was before. 'All for sin could not atone.'.... • Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves.Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession.... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.[47] • 1) Cheap Grace=Grace without repentance. What is Bonhoeffer driving at? What might be an example of people wanting to have forgiveness without repentance? • 2) What is he talking about with “Cheap grace is grace without discipleship”?

7. b) Costly Grace • Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man’ will gladly go and self all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him. • Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God…. • Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” • 1) To beat alcohol addiction, what is the first step of AA? Why? • 2) Admitting a problem can be messy and contentious for friends and family. Why is it loving to ‘force the issue’? Why do true friends tell you the truth, even if it hurts?

8. Cheap vs Costly Grace • “Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession.... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” • . It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner • 1) How do you think this was received by pastors and church leaders? • 2) Would Bonhoeffer see a problem in the American church today?

9. The Christian and Society. • The Christian cannot simply take for granted the privilege of living among other Christians. Jesus Christ lived in the midst of His enemies. In the end all His disciples abandoned Him. On the cross He was all alone, surrounded by criminals and the jeering crowds. He had come for the express purpose of bringing peace to the enemies of God. So Christians, too, belong not in the seclusion of a cloistered life but in the midst of enemies. There they find their mission, their work. • “Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God's will.” • How does Bonhoeffer view the Christian’s role in society? Is it a monastery? Should the Christian take risks or be cautious?

10. MOVIE ABOUT Bonhoeffer • The start of the movie. • And move to: 15:00

11. Questions for groups • What did Bonhoeffer actually do? • Is this right? • Have someone read Romans 13 1:7 • Does this passage change your answers? • Given everything and if you were in Bonhoeffer’s shoes would : A) You join the conspiracy to kill Hitler B) You do not. (Everyone must vote A or B. Don’t know is B) Write down the tally of A or B votes.

12. Hope this Helps illustrate how you can deal with moral problems:

13. A Video of a view of the passage • At 6:40:-> 9:00- they talk about Romans 13 1-7

14. Who am i? • Who am I? They often tell meI stepped from my cell’s confinementCalmly, cheerfully, firmly,Like a squire from his country-house.Who am I? They often tell meI used to speak to my wardersFreely and friendly and clearly,As though it were mine to command.Who am I? They also tell meI bore the days of misfortuneEquably, smilingly, proudly,Like one accustomed to win.

15. Am I then really all that which other men tell of?Or am I only what I myself know of myself?Restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage,Struggling for breath, as though hands werecompressing my throat,Yearning for colors, for flowers, for the voices of birds,Thirsting for words of kindness, for neighborliness,Tossing in expectation of great events,Powerlessly trembling for friends at an infinite distance,Weary and empty at praying, at thinking, at making,Faint, and ready to say farewell to it all?

16. Who am I? This or the other?Am I one person today and tomorrow another?Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,And before myself a contemptibly woebegone weakling?Or is something within me still like a beaten army,Fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved?Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am Thine! • D. Bonhoeffer

17. Bonhoeffer was A defender of the faith

18. But he also had a powerful serve

19. And could hit it out of the park

20. Summary • Cheap vs Costly Grace • How Christians and the state interact • Character

21. Time for a song?- The heart of worship • When the music fades And all is stripped away • And I simply come Longing just to bring Something that's of worth • That will bless Your heart I'll bring You more than a song • For a song in itself Is not what You have required You search much deeper within Through the way things appear You're looking into my heart I'm coming back to the heart of worship • And it's all about You, it's all about You, Jesus I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it • It's all about You, Jesus