Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life and times

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

It sometimes seems to me that there’s more ChristianityChristianity Christianity was formed in Alexandria. Whether the theology, organisation, or reading materials, everything formed in Alexandria in or around 80 CE and then exported everywhere by traders. The term Christion was not used before the first quarter of the 2nd Century. Christianity is the outcome of three Jewish-Roman wars, namely, 'The Great Revolt' (66-70 CE), the  'Kitos War'( 115-117 CE), and 'Bar Kochba Revolt' of 132-135 CE. After the Bar Kochba revolt, Christianity became a distinct sect from Judaism. In 30 BCE Greek became the language of Alexandria. NT was written in this language and the passion of the Christ was first performed here. The legacy of Clement (159-215 CE) and Origen ((185-254 CE) was to be noted. in IndiaIndia Bharat Varsha (Jambu Dvipa) is the name of this land mass. The people of this land are Sanatan Dharmin and they always defeated invaders. Indra (10000 yrs) was the oldest deified King of this land. Manu's jurisprudence enlitened this land. Vedas have been the civilizational literature of this land. Guiding principles of this land are : सत्यं वद । धर्मं चर । स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमदः । Read more’s ‘heathenism’ than in the whole of our Reich ChurchChurch A creedal political organization of Christian People (Ecclesia) created by Constantine with a reading manual (Bible), Bishop as prince and CEO, and deacons as servants in a given jurisdiction within Roman provinces. A church prayer house is also called a church (building). Christian groups are divided into Roman Catholics, Orthodox, and countless reformed denominations. A church is maintained by donations and taxation from its members.. Christianity did in fact come from the East originally, but it has become so westernised and so permeated by civilised thought that, as we can now see, it is almost lost to us. (Bonhoeffer, London, 1933-1935, 152)

Bonhoeffer: Quotes and Sources

“the blood of martyrs might once again be demanded, but this blood, if we really have the courage and loyalty to shed it, will not be innocent, shining like that of the first witnesses for the faithFaith  πίστει.. On our blood lies heavy guilt, the guilt of the unprofitable servant who is cast into outer darkness”

Sermon, 1932. 

“We have been silent witnesses of evil deeds; we have been drenched by many storms; we have learnt the arts of equivocation and pretence; experience has made us suspicious of others and kept us from being truthful and open; intolerable conflicts have worn us down and even made us cynical. Are we still of any use? What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, and straightforward men. Will our inward power of resistance be strong enough, and our honesty with ourselves remorseless enough, for us to find our way back to simplicity and straightforwardness?”

Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison.

“If we look more closely, we see that any violent display of power, whether political or religious, produces an outburst of folly in a large part of mankind; indeed, this seems actually to be a psychological and sociological law: the power of some needs the folly of others. It is not that certain human capacities, intellectual capacities for instance, become stunted of destroyed, but rather that the upsurge of power makes such an overwhelming impression that men are deprived of their independent judgmentJudgment The statement given by the Judge on the grounds of a decree or order - CPC 2(9). It contains a concise statement of the case, points for determination, the decision thereon, and the reasons for such decision - Order 20 Rule 4(2).  Section 354 of CrPC requires that every judgment shall contain points for determination, the decision thereon and the reasons for the decision. Indian Supreme Court Decisions > Law declared by Supreme Court to be binding on all courts (Art 141 Indian Constitution) Civil and judicial authorities to act in aid of the Supreme Court (Art 144) Supreme Court Network On Judiciary – Portal > Denning: “Judges do not speak, as do actors, to please. They do not speak, as do advocates, to persuade. They do not speak, as do historians, to recount the past. They speak to give Judgment. And in their judgments, you will find passages, which are worthy to rank with the greatest literature….” Law Points on Judgment Writing > The judge must write to provide an easy-to-understand analysis of the issues of law and fact which arise for decision. Judgments are primarily meant for those whose cases are decided by judges (State Bank of India and Another Vs Ajay Kumar Sood SC 2022), and…give up trying to assess the new state of affairs for themselves.” 

Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison.

1906– 4 February, Dietrich Bonhoeffer born in Breslau, Germany

1912 Family moves to Berlin, where Karl Bonhoeffer, Dietrich’s father, takes up a position at Berlin University
1913 Dietrich Bonhoeffer begins gymnasium studies
1916 Family moves to the suburb of Grunewald
1918 Walter Bonhoeffer, Dietrich’s brother, dies on the western front
1921 Dietrich and twin sister, Sabine, are confirmed
1923 Begins theologicalTheology Biology, Sociology, etc are the same type of English construction. Theos (gods) and logos (talking/chatting). Talking about gods and goddesses. Not having perfect knowledge about Olympian gods was a Greek 'mystery'. In the Christian sense theology is the understanding of Trinitarian 'mystery'. Most of the Christian people study theology to become church executives or employees. Dharma Tattva (धर्मतत्त्व>Gopath Brahman) is not Theology. धर्मतत्त्व is possiblele without god/s. धर्मतत्त्व is Philosophy (दर्शन) without school affiliation. Read more studies at Tubingen
1924 Continues theological studies at Berlin; travels to Rome and north AfricaAfrica Eastern Africa Burundi Comoros Djibouti Eritrea Ethiopia Kenya Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Mayotte Mozambique Réunion Rwanda Seychelles Somalia South Sudan Tanzania Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Middle Africa Angola Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo Equatorial Guinea Gabon São Tomé e Príncipe Northern Africa Algeria Egypt Libya Morocco Sudan Tunisia Western Sahara Southern Africa Botswana Eswatini Lesotho Namibia South Africa Western Africa Benin Burkina Faso Cape Verde Islands Côte d’Ivoire Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali Mauritania Niger Nigeria Saint Helena Senegal Sierra Leone Togo with elder brother Klaus
1927 Qualifies for licentiate with his doctoral dissertation, Sanctorum Communio
1928 Curate in Barcelona
1929 Summer lectures in systematic theologyTheology Biology, Sociology, etc are the same type of English construction. Theos (gods) and logos (talking/chatting). Talking about gods and goddesses. Not having perfect knowledge about Olympian gods was a Greek 'mystery'. In the Christian sense theology is the understanding of Trinitarian 'mystery'. Most of the Christian people study theology to become church executives or employees. Dharma Tattva (धर्मतत्त्व>Gopath Brahman) is not Theology. धर्मतत्त्व is possiblele without god/s. धर्मतत्त्व is Philosophy (दर्शन) without school affiliation. Read more, Berlin; assistant pastor in Berlin

1930 Completes second dissertation, later published as Act and Being;
Sloane Fellow at Union Theological Seminary, New York

1931 July: first meeting with Karl Barth
August: lecturer in theological faculty, Berlin
September: appointed Youth Secretary of World Alliance for Promoting International Friendship through the Churches
Conference, Cambridge
October: chaplain at Technical College, Berlin
November: takes confirmation class in Berlin-Wedding

1932 Winter lecture course on ‘Creation and Sin’ (later published as Creation and Fall)

1933 January: Hitler becomes Chancellor
February: The Reichstag is burnt
April: Aryan civil-service legislation is passed, dismissing Jews from public office
Ludwig Miiller appointed Reichsbischof
Summer lectures in Berlin, on Christology
September: Pastors’ Emergency League organised, with aid of Martin Niemoller; Brown Synod dominated by German Christians is held
October: Bonhoeffer moves to London to take up pastorate of two German-speaking churches

1934 May: first synod of the Confessing Church is held at Barmen Adoption of Barmen Declaration
August: Ecumenical Conference, Fano

1935 April: becomes director of Preachers’ Seminary, Zingst
June: seminary moves to Finkenwalde
September: Nuremberg Laws are passed
October: family moves to Charlottenburg; Berlin
December: Confessing Church seminaries declared illegal

1936 February: members from Finkenwalde visit Denmark and Sweden
August: authorisation to teach at Berlin University is withdrawn

1937 September: Finkenwalde is closed down by Gestapo
November: The Cost of Discipleship is published
December: begins collective pastorate in Koslin and Gross-Schlonwitz

1938 January: expulsion from Berlin
February: makes first contact with leaders of the resistance movement
April: all pastors required to take the oath of allegiance to Hitler
September: writes Life Together while in Gottingen
November: Crystal Night

1939 June: travels to America for the second timeTime Where any expression of it occurs in any Rules, or any judgment, order or direction, and whenever the doing or not doing of anything at a certain time of the day or night or during a certain part of the day or night has an effect in law, that time is, unless it is otherwise specifically stated, held to be standard time as used in a particular country or state. (In Physics, time and Space never exist actually-“quantum entanglement”); returns to Berlin in July
August: becomes a civilian agentAgent An agent is a person employed to do any act for another or to represent another in dealings with third persons. The person for whom such act is done, or who is so represented, is called the principal. Indian Contract Act of the Abwehr (military intelligence)
September: German troops invade Poland; formal Allied Declaration of WarWar Whenever Christians wage a war, it is a Just war (City of God). Jesus asked his followers to purchase swords (Luke 22: 35-36). Those who legitimately hold authority also have the right to use arms to repel aggressors against the civil community entrusted to their responsibility (Catechism 2265). Without Jihad there is no Islam. In Mahabharata, Krishna tried to stop the War imposed by Kurus. Lord Rama killed Ravan in the war to restore his wife. Deva and Asura battles are not available in Vedas.

1940 March: illegal seminary in Koslin and Gross-Schlonwitz closeddown by the Gestapo
Begins to write his Ethics
November: becomes member of Abwehr staff in Munich Stays at Benedictine monastery in Ettal; continues work on the
Ethics

1941 February-March: travels to Switzerland to meet with Karl Barth and Visser’t Hooft
August: second visit to Switzerland
October: the first Jews are deported from Berlin

1942 April: travels to Norway and Sweden
May: visits Switzerland for third visit
May/June: meets Bishop George Bell in Sweden

1943 January: becomes engaged to Maria von Wedemeyer
April: arrested and placed in Tegel Prison; Berlin
December: writes Christmas essay, ‘After Ten Years’

1944 April: first of the ‘theological letters’ from prison
July: assassination attempt on Hitler
September: incriminating evidenceEvidence All the means by which a matter of fact, the truth of which is submitted for investigation, is established or disproved. Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Adhiniyam 2023 on the Abwehr is uncovered by the Gestapo
1945 February: moved to Buchenwald concentration camp
April: moved to Regensburg and then Schonberg and finally to Flossenblirg
8 April: court-martialled
9 April: executed at Flossenbiirg

“The GodGod People in most cultures believe in the existence of supernatural beings and other supernatural concepts. God is attributed to both anthropomorphic properties (“listens to prayers”) and non-anthropomorphic properties (“knows everything”). Conceptualizing God is associated with willingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine or Vaccine hesitancy. Pope requested people not to practice “Jesus is my vaccine”. For the Jewish, family (Avestan universal) god became national God:  I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,”(ex 3:15).  See Ishwar.  who lets us live in the world without the working hypothesis of God is the God before whom we stand continually. Before God and with God we live without God” (Letters, 360).

“Not religionReligion ‘The word ‘Religion’ -Re Legion- A group or Collection or a brigade, is a social-cultural construction and Substantially doesn’t exist. Catholic religion is different from Protestant religion. It is not Dharma., but revelation, not a religious community, but the church: that is what the reality of JesusJesus Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ: Doubts and controversies are always with him. Whether he existed at all or not?  Whether Paul was correct or Muhammad about Jesus? If Paul was a student of Gamaliel then why he had heard nothing about Jesus from him? Why Aramaic culture of Jesus was not preserved? Why there were no dates in apostolic letters? But writing Date in letters was a standard practice then. What was the original language of the epistles? Possibly Constantine would have known these. He died due to asphyxiation. ChristChrist Lamentations 4:20 > The breath of our nostrils, the Christ (Mašíaḥ) of Yahweh, was captured in their pits, of whom we had said, “Under his shadow, we shall live among the nations.” Greek Septuagint (OT), χριστός derived from χρίω (anointed one). Whether Jesus was Christ? NT declared in affirmative. Jews never accepted Jesus as a chosen leader. His violent death was interpreted as a curse by Yahweh. For Hindus, Christian claims are absurd. Performing Dharma leads to liberation. For Muslims, Jesus never died on the Cross. He who confesses that Jesus is Christ is Christian. Confessing Muhammad is the Last Prophet (Rasul) earned the name of Mohammedan. . means” (Communio 1963, 112).