A resource for prayer and spiritual reflection
Dietrich Bonhoeffer Life Together.
Introduction: Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) was a German Lutheran Pastor arrested, imprisoned and killed by the Gestapo in Nazi Germany. His writings, especially the books The Cost of Discipleship and Life Together, have become enduring classics for the church. There is a new, English critical edition of Bonhoeffer’s works published by Fortress Press, including an Amazon Kindle electronic version. For an introduction to Bonhoeffer search on his name in Wikipedia.org. All quotations here are from “Community,” the first chapter in Life Together.
Bonhoeffer: Therefore, let those who until now have had the privilege of living a Christian life together with other Christians praise God’s grace from the bottom of their hearts. Let them thank God on their knees and realize: it is grace, nothing but grace, that we are still permitted to live in the community of Christians today.
How important is the community of Christians in your life today?
Consider in your mind and heart, and pray for the people who have been part of your Christian community throughout your life?
Bonhoeffer: Therefore, we may now say that the community of Christians springs solely from the biblical and reformation message of the justification of human beings through grace alone. The longing of Christians for one another is based solely on this message.
Bonhoeffer considers the message of justification through grace alone to be foundational.
What do you think this means?
What are the foundational convictions of your Christian faith?
Bonhoeffer: Now Christians can live with each other in peace; they can love and serve one another; they can become one. But they can continue to do so only through Jesus Christ. Only in Jesus Christ are we one; only through him are we bound together.
What is it that separates Christians from one another?
What is it that binds Christians together?
Bonhoeffer: It is essential for Christian community that two things become clear right from the beginning. First Christian community is not an ideal, but a divine reality; second, Christian community is a spiritual and not a psychic reality.
Bonhoeffer makes a striking distinction here between ‘ideal’ and ‘divine reality’ and also between a ‘spiritual’ and ‘psychic’ reality.
What do you think he means?
Do you agree?
Are these distinctions helpful for you today?
Bonhoeffer: Because God already has laid the only foundation of our community, because God has united us in one body with other Christians in Jesus Christ long before we entered into common life with them, we enter into that life together with other Christians, not as those who make demands, but as those who thankfully receive.
What do you believe is the foundation for Christian community today?
Do you believe you belong to such a Christian community?
Bonhoeffer: We are bound together by faith, not by experience.
Do you agree with this sentence?
Bonhoeffer: “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)
Bonhoeffer begins the book Life Together with this Bible verse.
What comes to your mind when you read this verse?
Please pray for life together in unity.
Mark J. Englund-Krieger
Executive Presbyter
Presbytery of Carlisle
May 2011
