SEKOLAH TINGGI FILSAFAT TEOLOGI JAKARTA

Nama: Ayub Bagus Setyosakti

Semester: 2
Mata Kuliah: Theological English
Dosen Pengampu: Pdt. Asigor P. Sitanggang, Th.D.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)

Biography and the Works

The author would explains the family background and the birth of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born on February 4, 1906 in Breslau, Poland. After that, Bonhoeffer
died of execution on April 8, 1945, with a friends who to oppose Hitler by hanging (Lane 1996,
221-222). Karl von Hase was the Bonhoeffer mothers who was a historian of the church, in the
nineteenth century. His Father, Karl Ludwig Bonhoeffer was a well-known doctor and a
professor of phychiatry in Berlin (Bonhoeffer 1967, 179).

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who spent several years studying theology in several countries and
eventually became collage teacher at the University of Berlin in 1931. After that, Dietrich
Bonhoeffer became a German theologian and became a Lutheran ministry. But his career was off
when Hitler reached power. Bonhoeffer to oppose the principle of Nazi leadership in a speech
broadcast on the radio (Lane 1996a, 222).

In the book Teologi dalam perspektif global: sebuah pengantar by Stephen B. Bevans
explain that Dietrich Bonhoeffer was an early follow of “dialectic theology.” It is show the
Bonhoeffer who read Karl Barth about courage and liberation. Because he was involved in the
Gereja Pengaku that was result of the Barmen Declaration in the 1930. Bonhoeffer was also one
of the secret seminary leader for the perspective of the church that were eventually close (Bevans
2010, 416).

Dietrich Bonhoeffer works was preach of sermon and writings from some writings, a
famous work was The Cost of Discipleship and the work on the seminary community Life
Together. Furthermore, Bonhoeffer was be arrested for opposing the Nazi Regime and joined a
group to kill Hitler, until he wrote a letter in prison with a book title Letters and Papers from
Prison (Bevans 2010a, 416). In this regard what Bonhoeffer did during seminary and became a
preach of sermon.

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Life Together

The author will explain the work of Bonhoeffer about Life Together. For six months the
Bonhoeffer took a seminary of preachers to center on the pastoral duties at Finkenwalde. In 1938
the book Life Together was published and popular outside it is basic theological standards. In this
case, Life Together have practical relationship in church life in the Christ and among those who
follow the Christ, and believers live in community with other Christians (Bonhoeffer 1954, 20).

Have three aspects of Christian community are centered on Jesus Christ. First, a Christian
has a relationship with others because of Jesus Christ, for this reason a Christian must give the
message of salvation to others. Two, the roads leading to others are only through Jesus Christ,
meaning that one has a relationship with one another and that God is through Christ. Third, are
the Christians chosen in Christ from eternity to eternity, meaning that one has joined into Christ
and will be with one anothers in eternal communion (Bonhoeffer 1954, 21-35). These are aspects
of what is happening within the inner Christian community in Life Together.

On the other side, Life Together moves from general to personal worship. Bonhoeffer
saying, “let him who cannot be alone beware of community,” and “let him who is not in
community beware of being along” (Bonhoeffer 1954, 77). Bonhoeffer explain the word of silence
meaning obedience to the word of God and solitude is necessary but does not become monastic,
meaning that one can meet others and events in a fresh, quiet way. This emphasizes on worship
independently or individually about Life Together (Bonhoeffer 1954, 77-89).

Letters and Papers from Prison

This discussion will discuss the Letters and Papers from Prison by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Most people have seen a Bonhoeffer letter, include his friends about what is happening inside
this cell. In the letter gives significant meaning or significance, of the Bonhoeffer who feels
solitude even though he himself is cheerful and affable to others. He could’nt take along even the
guards for a times because on the first day, he was given food by the guards barely enough. From
this letter we learn that giving in to despair is an option for a prisoner who is constantly tempted
to endure or commit suicide, because he believes he is dead (Barnett 2000, 832).

However, we also learn that he did not commit suicide, but he began to write, especially
as his material circumstances would eventually improve slightly in his life. There are, of course,
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records of personal letters that were then sent to his friends, Pastor Eberhard Bethge, who
rescued them through smuggling. This, publishers will not see book that have the potential for
interest in letters or their varied, writings, meditation, and poetry in prison. So, Bonhoeffer wrote
a letter in prison, with the purpose of inform everyone of what the Bonhoeffer had done in
prison, with solitude yet the Bonhoeffer was not distressed, so he wrote the letter (Marty 2011, 3).

Theological Reflection

From the above exposure to Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was both a German theologian and
a priest, then the author would exhibit a theological reflection. Author reflection that the
Bonhoeffer took up a fight with Hitler and was against the Nazi Regime. However, it was
technically wrong and ultimately the Bonhoeffer was executed and dead.

He had previously been diligent in writing with much of the work he did, both in the
seminary and in the community. This was influenced by the existing Christ in the Bonhoeffer.
Even in prison, he took time to write. With this, Bonhoeffer received the gift from God to write
and produce several works that have become known by some people.

Thus, Bonhoeffer took advantage of the God gift by writing, of the various works of
Bonhoeffer published by several contries and languanges in which there is a particular meaning
and meaning about fighting in despair.

Bibliography

Barnett, Victoria J. 2000. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: a biography, theologian, Christian, man for his
times. Minneapolis: Fortress.

Bevans, Stephen B. 2010. Teologi dalam perspektif global: sebuah pengantar (trans.). Maumere:
Ledalero.

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. 1967. Letters and papers from prison (trans.). New York City: The
Macmillan Corporation.

_________. 1954. Life together (trans.). New York City: Harper & Bros.

Lane, Tony. 1996. Runtut pijar: sejarah pemikiran kristiani (trans.). Jakarta: Gunung Mulia.

Marty, Martin E. 2011. Lives of great religious books: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s letters and papers
from prison: a biography. New Jersey City: Princeton University.