Bonhoeffer and God's Beloved Community

In what was to be his last major theological project, Dietrich Bonhoeffer set out to think more deeply about what Christian ethics meant in a world that had seen the upheavals of the early 20th century. World War I (in which he lost a brother) had made killing an industry. The crushing world-wide Depression had turned people against each other; everyone looked for a scapegoat to blame. And in the middle of all this, Hitler had risen to power, to the acclaim of people on both sides of the Atlantic. His basic ethical questions concerned how we live with each other and in the presence of God in a world “come of age.” This study uses quotations from his Ethics to foster conversation about what it means to ask ethical questions in our world, which is so like, and unlike, Bonhoeffer’s world.

About the Author

Dr. Richard Swanson is Professor of Religion (Emeritus) at Augustana University. He has written several books, all of which have the phrase “provoking the gospel” in the title. He has also written several plays, including Real as Air (the story of his sister’s life with ALS). His most recent project was the creation of a play (with Grace Ahles and Hanna Beshai). The title of the play is This Is My Body, a phrase that shows up in sacramental theology and in many #MeToo stories. He has been fascinated with Dietrich Bonhoeffer since his confirmation pastor encouraged him to read Letters and Papers from Prison back in high school.