Bonhoeffer

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WHO WAS HE?

  • (1906-1945)
  • German Christian minister in 1931
  • Rumors he was apart of a plot to assassinate Hitler- sent to a concentration camp and was executed on 9 April 1945
  • Challenged Nazism- saw them as cult-like, criticised their distortion of the Christian call to discipleship and their persecution of the Jews
  • Fired from working at a university and banned from public lectures because he raised objections to Nazism
  • Criticised the confessing church for not being strong enough when standing up to Hitler
  • Called Hitler the anti-Christ
  • Worked for German military intelligence and used church meetings to smuggle information. He disguised Jews as military intelligence and smuggled them to safety in Switzerland
  • Wrote to friend Neibuhr that the nation had to be defeated to save Christianity, or they win and lose Christian civilization- Christians had to make active challenges against injustice

 

GERMAN CHURCH AT THE TIME OF HITLER

  • 1930 German Protestant Churches were divided
  • Some joined Nazi Party- believed Hitler was embodiment of Christian Values, prohibited ministers with Jewish ancestry, chruch groups joined with Hitler Youth, some tried to remove Old Testament as it is holy scripture of Judaism, Nazi ideology gained a strong hold on the German church
  • Some (Bonhoeffer) joined ‘Confessing church’ (1934) as they broke away from national Reich Church - rejected Nazism and it called Christians to confess their faith, be true to their calling to discipleship

 

OBEDIENCE AND DISCIPLESHIP

 

  •    Based on gospels, all Christians are called to discipleship- to be followers of Jesus (leave old life and enter

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