Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s world was tainted by warfare, bigotry, and hatred. The Second World War was a dismal time for all, but Bonhoeffer was at the heart of the chaos. Living in Germany where the sense of community was torn apart by the horrific events that took place, Bonhoeffer wrote Life Together in a culture that was in dire need of a Christian community. Throughout the text, Bonhoeffer describes what a divine Christian fellowship should operate and warns against a fellowship that is corrupted by worldly views and desires. In Life Together, I made a connection between the ideal fellowship of which Bonhoeffer reports and the intentional community which Taylor attempts create on campus. Additionally, I have experienced the shortcomings that …show more content…
If I shall die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” Every night I would say that prayer with my mother, and together we would list each name in our family and extended family. My first experience with prayer was done with another person. Bonhoeffer introduced the importance of group by disclosing that praying together is the “most normal thing in the common Christian life” (62). Whenever I had a discouraging day or a hurtful event, my mom would pray with me. The action of communal prayer had great significance in my youth. Meanwhile, my prayer experience at church was drastically different at church. The pastor would pray and that was it. Prayer was a solitary practice. A couple years back, I was in San Jose, Costa Rica attending a church service at a small church. All of a sudden, I witnessed a phenomenon so far removed from the reality from which I am used to. When the pastor opened up his prayer, the congregation opened their mouths and joined in. Around me, a chorus of voices were rapidly speaking in prayer. This church, no bigger than a waiting room at a doctor’s office, was the embodiment of what Bonhoeffer referred to prayer together. On the opposite end of the scale was my ten times bigger church, who suffered from a disconnection of prayer amongst the fellowship. After encountering an intense group prayer, I can comprehend the importance that Life Together places on it. I wish to integrate more group pray with the social circles of which I am involved, especially with my wing. If we intended to create a christian living community, praying for our common good together will ensure our fellowship to
How could a family be shattered overnight in the most horrifying way imaginable and the next week a fore sale sign be the only remnant that a family once lived there? This is what started Lovenheim’s fascination with the associations we share with those who live around us. This brings to mind something expressed in the Catholic Update Guide to Faithful Citizenship. Under the Social Justice portion, Mary Carol Kendzia writes, “Equally fundamental is the principle of the human community. Nobody lives all alone in the world and nobody can survive without interacting with others” (Kendzia, p32). While we understand that it is possible to live isolated from others, what Kendzia is conveying is that the sense of community is innate and is what has helped us thrive as creatures of God. To go against this is not conducive to a healthy community. This innate sense of community was ignored by Lovenheim, and possibly all the residents in the neighborhood, until the tragic even that occurred snapped him out of his learned complacency. Now he was on a mission to get to know his neighbors, but not in a conventional
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born on February 4th 1906, as a son of a professor of psychiatry and neurology at the University of Berlin. Throughout his early life he was an outstanding student, and when he finally reached the age of 25 he became a lecturer in systematic theology at the University Berlin. Something that is very striking is that when Hitler came to power in 1933, Bonhoeffer became a leading spokesman for the Confessing Church, the center of Protestant resistance to the Nazis. He organized and for a shot amount of time he led the underground seminary of the Confessing Church. His book Life Together describes the life of the Christian community in that seminary, and his book The Cost Of Discipleship attacks what he calls "cheap grace," meaning that grace used as an excuse for moral laxity.
Bonhoeffer’s life embodies many elements he describes theologically about the Christian life in Life Together. This is initially seen in his life when he felt he had to make a choice; Christianity or Germanism. As with many of us, the choice to live completely for Christ is not always our first choice. With Bonhoeffer, however, this choice would lead to his identity. He believed that a Christian Community makes it possible for us to live the Christian life in the world. As we travel this life together, we will encounter many types of people; believers and unbelievers. Which means as Christians we are our brothers’ keepers and
In the face of conflict and evil, it is often difficult to know what path to take. Yet, it is exactly during these moments when one is confronted with the most important questions and decisions in life, those which will eventually influence not only oneself but the rest of the world. In the documentary film Bonhoeffer, we learn about the life of German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer who, witnessing the injustice against humanity, courageously opposed Adolf Hitler. With strong morals, Bonhoeffer became a conspirator against the crimes of the Nazi regime as he was able to understand the world through the eyes of Christ. His passion and commitment to God grew out of a personal struggle when his brother died in World War I. As he found himself in contact with the reality of death, he grappled with questions which encouraged him to explore God and religion in a deeper way so he decided to study theology at the University of Berlin. It was here that Bonhoeffer started to discover axiology and epistemology and looked for answers to questions about the nature of human knowledge and the moral dilemmas of right and wrong. As he built a stronger sense of faith, God became the answer to his questions and the fuel of his actions. By integrating aesthetic elements, illustrating political realities, and challenging ideas of justice and ethics, this movie takes the viewer on a journey to explore Bonhoeffer’s life and the powerful influence he had on the world.
E.M. Bounds wrote a wonderful book devoted to prayer entitled Power Through Prayer. This book encourages the preacher to become a true prayer warrior. E.M. Bounds has written many books on prayer, encouraging Christians to devote their life to prayer. Since the writer is coming from a preacher background himself, one can clearly see the passion he has for prayer in his life. Fellow preachers will hopefully be encouraged by this and want to devote their life to prayer, so that they will better their preaching. Bounds exemplifies through his work that preaching has no power without prayer. He also sets forth the idea that prayer is the life-giving force behind our work for God. In reading this book, it inspires one to pray more and be able to be more effective in their ministry.
Bonhoeffer’s writing concerning community in Life Together sheds a great deal of light and marks boundaries for Christians on how to relate with each other. It is of utmost importance to remember that community is nothing but a gracious gift of God. When this understanding is grasped, love flows between brothers and sisters under the guidance of the Spirit and life is lived in the freedom of redemption and under the Word and “fruits that grow healthily in accord God’s good will in the rain and storm and sunshine of God’s outdoors” (37) will grow. Finally, it is always a good reminder, in the words of Bonhoeffer; “we are bound together by faith, not by experience” (39) so let us love and live through faith in the redeeming work of our Lord
Himes, B. (2011). Discipleship as theological praxis: Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a resource for educational ministry. Christian Education Journal, 8(2), 263-277.
In an age when culture continues to lower standards of intellect, Marva Dawn makes compelling observations and suggestions for the Church to rethink its’ strategy on impacting society. How do we evangelize without weakening the message of what we are communicating? The majority of her text focuses on the worship environment generally, but later she focuses on music, preaching, and liturgy specifically. According to Dawn, a gathering of believers should emphasize God as the subject and object of worship, challenge each individual to grow in godly character, and accentuate the community of believers (not only in the room, but throughout history as well). Through this grid, she encourages leaders and participants to evaluate each worship element. If these primary goals are accomplished, then worship will not be empty and simpleminded. Instead the worship atmosphere would be held to a higher standard and, she believes, both pleasing to God and attractive to those who do not know God.
Paul Tillich. “What Faith Is”. The Human Experience: Who Am I?. 8th ed. Winthrop University: Rock Hill SC, 2012. 269-273. Print.
Within mainstream society it seems as if there is not a great deal of emphasis on the contributions made by theologians in society, as well as contributions by theologians to religious thought. Particularly in Christendom, ecclesiastical assemblies are so consumed with vain ideas of worship, and content on hearing biblical messages that capitulate to their personal desires, that theological studies are often neglected. Yet the contributions theologians have made in society, and the impact these contributions have had on religious assemblies have been pivotal in guiding religious discourse on subjects such as ethics, morality, and social transformation. It is for this reason, that in this essay an attempt will be made to analyze three essays from three world-renowned theologians of the 20th century. The theologians are Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Walter Wink, all of which have produced the essays used for this analysis, and have written works that have completely challenged status quo religion, and changed the landscape of Christendom forever.
In A Short and Easy Method of Prayer, Madame Guyon touches on how one can accept all things God through prayer. Through the simple steps of meditation and reading accompanied by meditation, Madame Guyon teaches the reader how to use those steps to have a relationship with God. As a person of the Quietism faith in the seventeenth century, Madam Guyon was going against the norm of the church structure. Not only was she advocating people did not need to go to weekly services but she was also going against the male’s leaders of the church. One of the questions this book can help historians to answer is how religion shape everyday life. However, the readers need to keep in mind the biases surrounding this book. This is just one of the many religious
The following essay will evaluate the importance of the journey that takes place from Systematic to Practical theology; this view will be explored through Ronelle Sonnenberg’s research done regarding ‘being together’ in a youth setting. This essay will first build on the basis of Practical Theology; furthermore addressing the importance of the community aspect within a youth setting; this will lead to the process that takes place between a Systematic stance, leading to a Practical theological stance.
Mitchell, Curtis C. 1984. "The case for persistence in prayer." Journal Of The Evangelical Theological Society 27, no. 2: 161-168. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed March 16, 2014).
When most people pray, they just say the same prayer, like the Lord’s prayer, for example. Saying the same prayer isn’t really such a bad thing, its more about the meaning and the time that you spend praying. Prayer shouldn’t just be looked at as a routine or habit, but as more of a love poem to express oneself to God. Questions such as: why do we need to pray? What is this prayer?
Prayer is so powerful that we don’t even realise what it can do for others and our own lives. The physical world is always effected by what’s happening in the spiritual world first so prayer is the place to go!