Content

When Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote of "costly grace", he knew that his convictions could cost him his life. Executed by the Nazis just weeks before the end of World War II, his theology engages with a world in crisis - and it does this in profound and controversial ways that continue to challenge. In this unit, you will engage with Bonhoeffer's world through his writings from early philosophical theology to radical letters and papers from prison. You will explore the dynamic interaction between theological ideas and the changing religious, social and political context of Hitler’s Third Reich. Finally, you will consider the enduring issues raised by Bonhoeffer's life and work: especially, individual Christians and the embodiment of community and reconciliation, and the relationship between worldly faith and a transcendent God.

Unit code: CT9092P

Unit status: Approved (Major revision)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Elective

Unit discipline: Systematic Theology

Proposing College: Pilgrim Theological College

Show when this unit is running

Learning outcomes

1.

Articulate a holistic understanding of Bonhoeffer’s often controversial theology;

2.

Outline the major influences upon Bonhoeffer’s theology;

3.

Critique the relationship between Bonhoeffer’s theology and his ecclesial and political engagements;

4.

Evaluate the interplay between systematic theology and church history in relation to Bonhoeffer’s works;

5.

Critique both primary and secondary literature in Bonhoeffer studies in light of contemporary challenges.

Unit sequence

24 points in CT and 24 points in CH

Pedagogy

Guided reading, specialist input, student discussion, guided and independent research, feedback on written work.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Bethge, Eberhard. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Biography. Translated by Eric Mosbacher, Peter Ross, Betty Ross, Frank Clarke and William Glen-Doepel. Revised ed. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2000.
  • Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Discipleship. Translated by B. Green and R. Krauss. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works. Edited by G. B. Kelly, J. D. Godsey, B. Green and R. Krauss. Vol. 4, Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2000.
  • ———. Ethics. Translated by Reinhard Krauss, Charles C. West and Douglas W. Scott. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works. Edited by Clifford J. Green. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2005.
  • ———. Letters and Papers from Prison. Translated by John Bowden. London: SCM Press, 2002.
  • Clements, Keith. Bonhoeffer and Britain. London: Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, 2006.
  • Clements, Keith. W. The SPCK Introduction to Bonhoeffer. London: SPCK, 2010.
  • de Gruchy, John W., ed. The Cambridge Companion to Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. (recommended for purchase)
  • Green, Clifford J., and Michael P. DeJonge, eds. The Bonhoeffer Reader. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2013.
  • Pugh, Jeffrey C. Religionless Christianity: Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Troubled Times. London: T&T Clark, 2008.
  • Schlingensiepen, Ferdinand. Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906–1945: Martyr, Thinker, Man of Resistance. Translated by Isabel Best. London: T&T Clark, 2010.
  • Scholder, Klaus. The Churches and the Third Reich. Volume 1: Preliminary History and the Time of Illusions, 1918–1934. Translated by John Bowden. London: SCM Press, 1987.
  • ———. The Churches and the Third Reich. Volume 2: The Year of Disillusionment, 1934 – Barmen and Rome. Translated by John Bowden. London: SCM Press, 1988.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)

Variant 1

Tutorial Paper/Seminar Paper - Tutorial paper

Tutorial Paper

1300 25.0
Document Study - Document study

Document study on a writing by Bonhoeffer (primary source excerpt)

1300 20.0
Book Review - Book review

Analysis of a secondary source

1400 25.0
Essay - Essay

Essay

3000 40.0

Variant 2

Document Study - Document study

Document study on a writing by Bonhoeffer (primary source excerpt)

1300 20.0
Intertextual Study - Intertextual study

Analysis comparing two secondary sources

1400 20.0
Oral Presentation - Oral presentation

Oral presentation offered in person or via electronic means as per the lecturer's instructions

1300 20.0
Essay - Essay

Essay incorporating history and theology

3000 40.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 13 Jun, 2023

Unit record last updated: 2023-06-13 16:46:35 +1000