The Importance of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

    

     Many present day theologians count Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a Neo-Orthodox theologian.  Though he did not write a systematic theology, it is relatively easy to see Karl Barth greatly influenced Bonhoeffer's theology. Like Barth, Bonhoeffer disregarded religion and  placed a personal existential encounter of God through Christ as what matters most. (1) 
     Bonhoeffer stressed that faith without obedience is not really faith.  Whenever one has faith, one's life is marked by obedience.  Otherwise, there is no reason for faith.  Along with this, Bonhoeffer believed that Christians needed to be active in reconciling the world to God.  This meant the eradicating of evil at whatever costs. 
     Even though Bonhoeffer did not produce a ton of theological writings, what makes him important was his amazing dedication to a life of action.  He did not only believe what he believed, but his belief drove his actions.  This is the point of theology: application.  Without the application of theology, theology is nothing more than words on paper. 
     Many know Bonhoeffer as a man who stood against the terrible regime of Nazism in Germany.  Bonhoeffer not only spoke and wrote against Hitler and his regime, but he also involved himself in an attempt to murder Hitler.  Though using murder as a means of a good outcome is not right, Bonhoeffer's dedication to reconciling the world to God had no bounds.  He truly lived as he believed.  That in itself is a most admiral quality. 


Sources:

1)  Smith, David L. A Handbook of Contemporary Theology: Tracing Trends and Discerning Direction in Today's Theological Landscape. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1992. pp. 35-36.