William Carey(1761-1834): Persevering in Faith



Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945): Faith in a God of Reality

February 4, 1906 – Born with his twin sister Sabine

1923 – Begin theological studies at Tubingen University

1930 – Sails to New York to begin teaching fellowship at Union Theological Seminary

1933 – Two days after Hitler’s installation as Chancellor, Bonhoeffer’s radio address on

1934 – Confessing Church is organized in response to the compromises made by the German church with the German government

1935 – Bonhoeffer returns to Germany from England to teach at the Confessing Church seminary

January 17, 1943 – Engaged to Maria von Wedemeyer

April 5, 1943 – Arrested and held in Berlin

April 9, 1943 - Hanged at Sachsenhausen concentration camp

Summary of his life:

Born into a large family that was genuinely happy and remained very close for his entire life. Dietrich was very intelligent and a talented musician from a young age. His early desire to go into ministry was very rare for a member of the academic elite in Germany at the time.

Answering his brother’s charge that the church was “poor, feeble, boring, petty” Dietrich countered, “In that case, I shall have to reform it.” He didn’t realize how prophetic that defiant answer would become.

During his studies at seminary, Dietrich quickly gained a reputation for academic excellence and for asking difficult questions. Dietrich was a follower of Karl Barth, who was unpopular in German theological circles because of his belief in biblical revelation.

Because of the times in which he lived, Dietrich would wrestle often with the question of “What is the Church?” In Germany, it was closely intertwined with the government, something that became more and more difficult to reconcile as Hitler came into power.

Dietrich traveled to the U.S. in 1930 to teach, and observed the beginnings of a movement in the church which would leave “no sound basis on which one can rebuild”, observing sermons that had “been reduced to parenthetical church remarks about newspaper events.”

Dietrich had a passion for reform of the church, everywhere he was. He preached on this in America, Great Britain, and Germany.

His position and that of his friends in the Confessing church would lead to the closure of their seminary by the state, and the arrest of many. He was able to avoid arrest for a time because of his family’s connections and his job as a mole in German military intelligence. But eventually he would be arrested, and ultimately would be one of many to die after the failure of the Valkyrie plot to assassinate Hitler.

“Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God – the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God.”

What can we learn and apply today from the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer?

“If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the wrong direction.”

“To endure the cross is not tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Courage and Commitment to the Truth

1 Timothy 4:1-12 speaks directly to the circumstances that Dietrich faced in his life and ministry. He had to wrestle through some radical decisions: to stay with the German church and try to fix it, or to counter it from outside; to support the resistance in word and prayer, or with actions as well; to put his life and love on the altar, or try to play it safe.

How can we apply this passage to challenges we face today?

What are some radical challenges we may face here in the U.S. for which we should be prepared?

Primary source for this study:

1. Metaxas, Eric. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy (Thomas Nelson, Nashville, 2010 e-version)

Digging Deeper:

1. Bonhoeffer, Dietrick. The Cost of Discipleship (Touchstone, 1995)

2. Bonhoeffer, Dietrick. Letters and Papers from Prison (Touchstone, 1997)

3. Audio Dramatization: Bohnhoeffer: The Cost of Freedom. Focus on the Family Radio Theatre (2007).

4.

All scripture quotes are from the New American Standard Bible, © 2000 The Lockman Foundation

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