Today is Reformation Day, a day that can evoke a great deal of reflection again, precisely in our time. One wonders why consequences had to arise from Luther’s action that were exactly the opposite of those he intended and that overshadowed his own last years of life and at times even made him question hisContinue reading “Reformation Day”
Tag Archives: Bonhoeffer
Pain Was a Stranger to Us
In May 1944, Eberhard and Renate Bethge celebrated the baptism of their new son Dietrich Wilhelm Rüdiger Bethge. For the occasion, the child’s godfather and great-uncle Dietrich Bonhoeffer composed some “Thoughts on the Day of Baptism of D.W.R. May 1944.” The document takes up about eight pages in the Reader’s Edition of the Letters andContinue reading “Pain Was a Stranger to Us”
B Minor Mass
My dear Parents, As I write this letter, the Schleichers, as Ursel told me, are all listening to the B minor Mass for today’s Repentance Day. For years it has been part of Repentance Day for me, just as the St. Matthew Passion is part of Good Friday. I remember quite clearly the evening IContinue reading “B Minor Mass”
Pervitin
What is going on with your sudden attacks of fatigue? (I remember with horror how inconsiderate I often was about that. Terrible! But I know you don’t hold that against me); and shouldn’t you have Papa give you a few Pervitin for when you are on guard at night? Here it is often used forContinue reading “Pervitin”
Bonhoeffer on Desire
I don’t share Diogenes‘ opinion that the absence of desire is the highest joy and an empty barrel the ideal vessel; why should we foolishly believe what we know is not true? But I do believe that, especially when one is still younger, it can be very good to have to renounce one’s wishes forContinue reading “Bonhoeffer on Desire”
Active Helpfulness and Bearing Burdens
As I was saying, Bonhoeffer encourages Christians to serve one another in several ways. First, listening to one another. This post will cover the second and third types of service Bonhoeffer discusses. (2) Active Helpfulness. Bonhoeffer means just simple stuff, helping each other. Nobody is too good for the lowest service. Those who worry aboutContinue reading “Active Helpfulness and Bearing Burdens”
Bonhoeffer on Listening
As I mentioned previously, in his book Life Together, Bonhoeffer mentions several ways in which Christians can serve one another, and the first is by listening. This section is so good, and so needed right now, I just want to quote the whole thing. So I will. The first service one owes to others inContinue reading “Bonhoeffer on Listening”
Service according to Bonhoeffer
One of the best chapters in Bonhoeffer’s Life Together (originally published in 1939; Wikipedia) is the fourth chapter, the one called “Service.” (I’m using the Reader’s Edition, which I abbreviate DBW-RE.) He has great thoughts on Christian community, the diversity of people. But he means a type of diversity different what what we (21st-century Americans)Continue reading “Service according to Bonhoeffer”
Bonhoeffer on the Importance of Reading Scripture
In his book Life Together, in which he is promoting a new kind of monasticism, Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes about “The Day Together” in chapter 2. I am using the translation in the Deitrich Bonhoeffer Works (DBW) series, and more specifically the Reader’s Edition (DBW-RE). There are a lot of good things in this chapter, butContinue reading “Bonhoeffer on the Importance of Reading Scripture”
Bonhoeffer’s New Kind of Monastery
In Poland there is a fairly large city called Szczecin, Poland’s seventh largest city, with a population of 400,000. It’s near the border with Germany, so near, in fact, that before World War II it was within the borders of Germany and it was known as Stettin. According to Google Maps, it’s about a 2-hourContinue reading “Bonhoeffer’s New Kind of Monastery”
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