EthicsFrom one of the most important theologians of the twentieth century, Ethics is the seminal reinterpretation of the role of Christianity in the modern, secularized world. The Christian does not live in a vacuum, says the author, but in a world of government, politics, labor, and marriage. Hence, Christian ethics cannot exist in a vacuum; what the Christian needs, claims Dietrich Bonhoeffer, is concrete instruction in a concrete situation. Although the author died before completing his work, this book is recognized as a major contribution to Christian ethics. The root and ground of Christian ethics, the author says, is the reality of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. This reality is not manifest in the Church as distinct from the secular world; such a juxtaposition of two separate spheres, Bonhoeffer insists, is a denial of God’s having reconciled the whole world to himself in Christ. On the contrary, God’s commandment is to be found and known in the Church, the family, labor, and government. His commandment permits man to live as man before God, in a world God made, with responsibility for the institutions of that world. |
Contents
The Church and the World | |
The Last Things and the Things Before the Last | |
Christ Reality and Good Christ the Church and the World | |
History and Good | |
The Ethical and the Christian as a Theme | |
PART | |
Personal and Real Ethos | |
State and Church | |
On the Possibility of the Word of the Church to the World | |
What Is Meant by Telling the Truth? | |
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Common terms and phrases
alien law already answer apostasy arises basis become bodily body character Christian ethics Church claim concept concrete confession conflict congregation conscience consequently Cost of Discipleship creature death decalogue decision deed demands deputyship DIETRICH BONHOEFFER disunion divine mandate dominion of Christ earthly entirely essential eternal ethical discourse everything evil existence fact faith fellowship of human form of Christ form of Jesus free responsibility freedom fulfilment genuine God’s commandment gospel grace guilt human incarnation individual Jesus Christ judgement justification knowledge labour limits living longer man’s marriage matter means natural law natural right neighbour never obedience one’s origin penultimate Pharisee possible preaching precisely preserved primus usus principle problem proclamation question reason reconciled regard relation responsible action sake secular institutions sense shame simply solely speak sphere symbolic writings takes Testament things true truth unity western world whole word worldly