I agree that Dietrich Bonhoeffer did publish some great theological statements, but it's my understanding that his overall theology is in line with many *mainline* Protestant denominations today. In my opinion, that's not a good position.
My favorite Bonhoeffer quotation is this, especially regarding forgiveness without repentance (which I think is completely counter to popular thinking for both Christians and non-Christians today):
"Cheap Grace is the deadly enemy of our church. It is grace without price: grace without cost!... Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine an intellectual assent.. Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner ... Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession ... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate."
2. Deciding not to be bitter towards someone, even if they are unrepentant, because bitterness just harms yourself.
In #1 we follow the example of God, who forgives the repentant.
In #2, we recognize that no such things as bitterness and self-harm exist in God. They are human problems that we decide to avoid. The fact that only one of these exists in God should be proof enough that they are distinct.
I love the idea of community. It's just all these pesky people around me that are the problem!
Kind of like the political reformers/radicals who talk about saving the whole world, the brotherhood of man, loving every human being on earth, but they can't treat their own family well.
This is a great take on Bonhoeffer's wisdom and it brings up a lot of tricky questions. How porous should an institutional church be? Is it okay to leave one institutional church and move to another because you disagree with the pastor on non-doctrinal issues? Because you don't like the color of the carpet? Or do we make no commitment to the actual community?
Well said
I needed this. Thank you.
I agree that Dietrich Bonhoeffer did publish some great theological statements, but it's my understanding that his overall theology is in line with many *mainline* Protestant denominations today. In my opinion, that's not a good position.
My favorite Bonhoeffer quotation is this, especially regarding forgiveness without repentance (which I think is completely counter to popular thinking for both Christians and non-Christians today):
"Cheap Grace is the deadly enemy of our church. It is grace without price: grace without cost!... Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine an intellectual assent.. Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner ... Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession ... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate."
(Part I, Chapter 1, The Cost of Discipleship)
That’s a great one, and more relevant all the time
Here is an example of the popular teaching of forgiveness today (added here because I don't see a way to add to my earlier comment):
"#3: Forgiveness Must Even Extend to the Unrepentant"
https://open.substack.com/pub/dmichaelclary/p/the-cost-of-forgiveness?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=951no
The author confuses two different things:
1. Forgiving someone.
2. Deciding not to be bitter towards someone, even if they are unrepentant, because bitterness just harms yourself.
In #1 we follow the example of God, who forgives the repentant.
In #2, we recognize that no such things as bitterness and self-harm exist in God. They are human problems that we decide to avoid. The fact that only one of these exists in God should be proof enough that they are distinct.
Confusing these two is very common.
I love the idea of community. It's just all these pesky people around me that are the problem!
Kind of like the political reformers/radicals who talk about saving the whole world, the brotherhood of man, loving every human being on earth, but they can't treat their own family well.
Exactly. It has to start right where we are.
This is a great take on Bonhoeffer's wisdom and it brings up a lot of tricky questions. How porous should an institutional church be? Is it okay to leave one institutional church and move to another because you disagree with the pastor on non-doctrinal issues? Because you don't like the color of the carpet? Or do we make no commitment to the actual community?