I will devil's advocate here: it was the unfortunate influence of Calvinism that made ideas like universalism so popular with Lutherans in the 20th century (God's will supposedly always being done). And Bonhoeffer wasn't a proponent of cheap grace, but of costly grace. Cheap grace was his term for antinomianism, which he rightfully denounced. From what I can tell, his argument was not that one had to do good works to be saved. He expected that to happen regardless. His argument was that one should do good works if he truly loved and trusted God -- which he did, without expecting some reward from God.
Bonhoeffer wasn't the best theologian but he was certainly a true believer.
You may be right about his criticism of cheap grace. But the main point of this article was that Bonhoeffer rejected the truth of Holy Scripture, particularly, he denied the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ. A person cannot be a Christian in the true sense of the term, if he denies that Christ rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15).
For aseminary class I took a couple of years ago I had to do an analysis of Bonhoeffer's "Cost of Dicipleship". My analysis was similar to yours. I concluded that Bonhoeffer was guilty of legalism. Perhaps not legalism in its grossest form, but legalism nonetheless. I thought maybe my professor would have disapproved of my stance, but he didn't. Before the "Confessing Church" Bonhoeffer was ordained in the Prussian Union, a Reformed/Lutheran hybrid. Hermann Sasse thought he was too liberal.
I'm always amazed how many people refer to him as a martyr, yet he was not executed for being a Christian, he was executed for being associated with the plot to assassinateHitler. It would seem that would greatly shield people from reading reality into his actual beliefs. In other words, people don't want to see the truth of his teachings because he is looked up to as a martyr.
He was associated with the July 20 plot to assassinate Hitler through his work in the Abwehr alongside others who were implicated. Certainly Bonhoeffer's stance against the Nazi's and the State church didn't help him with the Nazi's.
I agree with the articles the author wrote here although I haven't studied bonhoeffer myself too much but, as far as the plot, I'm not sure he would've been considered associated with it had it not been for the German Christian event.
He was executed ironically just shortly ( mere days?) before the fall of the Nazis. Notwithstanding his ultimate final judgement, which competing factor , good or evil, benefited with his premature demise? Dying when he did left an erroneous theology with counterproductive consequences. Living, would have left open the door for a correction in his theology (repentance), having possibly positive consequences.
In terms of his own life, I’m not aware of a point in time at which his teachings would have begun to shift. The sociopolitical atmosphere of his day certainly would have complicated any clarity with which he might have taught and professed the faith. Nevertheless, it seems that the arc of his career was marked by neo-orthodox theology, which prevailed in many of his well-known writings.
It’s apparent that from a distance Bonhoeffer appeared to be a hero of faith in desperate times. I did read the cost of discipleship years ago and had come to that conclusion, especially in light of his liberty and freedom proposition. No doubt the church has many false leaders, yet I wonder if in Gods grace and mercy; like the thief on the cross he was not welcomed in heaven by Jesus himself.
Thanks for the needed clarification. In his book Christ the Center, Bonhoeffer stated that Christ became so fully human as to be capable of error . . . that scholarship has proven some part of the New Testament are not authentic . . . and in Creation and Fall he states clearly the pre-scientific, mythological nature of the Genesis account.
So sad to hear about his heretical beliefs 😢 I read "Life Together" and "The Cost of Discipleship" and Metaxes' biography and none of that came up. After doing some research, some those beliefs may be in "Christ the Center" etc.
I will devil's advocate here: it was the unfortunate influence of Calvinism that made ideas like universalism so popular with Lutherans in the 20th century (God's will supposedly always being done). And Bonhoeffer wasn't a proponent of cheap grace, but of costly grace. Cheap grace was his term for antinomianism, which he rightfully denounced. From what I can tell, his argument was not that one had to do good works to be saved. He expected that to happen regardless. His argument was that one should do good works if he truly loved and trusted God -- which he did, without expecting some reward from God.
Bonhoeffer wasn't the best theologian but he was certainly a true believer.
You may be right about his criticism of cheap grace. But the main point of this article was that Bonhoeffer rejected the truth of Holy Scripture, particularly, he denied the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ. A person cannot be a Christian in the true sense of the term, if he denies that Christ rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15).
For aseminary class I took a couple of years ago I had to do an analysis of Bonhoeffer's "Cost of Dicipleship". My analysis was similar to yours. I concluded that Bonhoeffer was guilty of legalism. Perhaps not legalism in its grossest form, but legalism nonetheless. I thought maybe my professor would have disapproved of my stance, but he didn't. Before the "Confessing Church" Bonhoeffer was ordained in the Prussian Union, a Reformed/Lutheran hybrid. Hermann Sasse thought he was too liberal.
His admiration was focused on his rejection of Nazism. His theology was of historical critical variety and anathema to Gods Word. A poor idol to have
I'm always amazed how many people refer to him as a martyr, yet he was not executed for being a Christian, he was executed for being associated with the plot to assassinateHitler. It would seem that would greatly shield people from reading reality into his actual beliefs. In other words, people don't want to see the truth of his teachings because he is looked up to as a martyr.
He was associated with the plot because he stood up to German Christians who were trying to take out the ot and any Jewish influences from the bible.
He was associated with the July 20 plot to assassinate Hitler through his work in the Abwehr alongside others who were implicated. Certainly Bonhoeffer's stance against the Nazi's and the State church didn't help him with the Nazi's.
I agree with the articles the author wrote here although I haven't studied bonhoeffer myself too much but, as far as the plot, I'm not sure he would've been considered associated with it had it not been for the German Christian event.
He was executed ironically just shortly ( mere days?) before the fall of the Nazis. Notwithstanding his ultimate final judgement, which competing factor , good or evil, benefited with his premature demise? Dying when he did left an erroneous theology with counterproductive consequences. Living, would have left open the door for a correction in his theology (repentance), having possibly positive consequences.
How much of this is an over time theological development? In other words, is there a line before which his theology was not outright heretical?
In terms of his own life, I’m not aware of a point in time at which his teachings would have begun to shift. The sociopolitical atmosphere of his day certainly would have complicated any clarity with which he might have taught and professed the faith. Nevertheless, it seems that the arc of his career was marked by neo-orthodox theology, which prevailed in many of his well-known writings.
It’s apparent that from a distance Bonhoeffer appeared to be a hero of faith in desperate times. I did read the cost of discipleship years ago and had come to that conclusion, especially in light of his liberty and freedom proposition. No doubt the church has many false leaders, yet I wonder if in Gods grace and mercy; like the thief on the cross he was not welcomed in heaven by Jesus himself.
Thanks for the needed clarification. In his book Christ the Center, Bonhoeffer stated that Christ became so fully human as to be capable of error . . . that scholarship has proven some part of the New Testament are not authentic . . . and in Creation and Fall he states clearly the pre-scientific, mythological nature of the Genesis account.
So sad to hear about his heretical beliefs 😢 I read "Life Together" and "The Cost of Discipleship" and Metaxes' biography and none of that came up. After doing some research, some those beliefs may be in "Christ the Center" etc.