The Lutheran minister who attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler, in 1943, saw Christian ethics as a call to action in the present, not merely a heavenly reward. The commitment to the future is a powerful, shaping force on ethical processes. This commitment to the future is a keystone in the ethical theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. For Bonhoeffer, actions in the world today must have their foundations in a hope for a positive future. As a Christian theologian, he defined a positive future in terms of God’s Will. These future-determined ethics were referred to as ethical theology, the attempt to experience God not out there, but rather to experience God through exploration of God in the world now, and more importantly, God in the world in the immediate future—an ethical participation in God’s Will. Ethical theology aids in the development of one’s theology through participation in acting in the world with a view toward furthering a world of God’s Will.
Resources
Strange glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, by Charles Marsh
Charles Marsh reveals humanness in Dietrich Bonhoeffer, portraying not only his passion and Christian ethics, but also his intimate fears and desires. Marsh offers us the opportunity to see aspects of our own struggles reflected in Bonhoeffer’s heroic struggles.
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas, 2011
Eric Metaxas, in Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, tells an engaging tale of a man looking for his place in the world. Finding that place as a Lutheran Minister during World War II places his life in a context that may not have a future. The nature and existence of German institutes, including the Church, was uncertain and unpredictable. This book helps us live in a life that must constantly adapt dreams and goals in a world without a future.
“Metaxas presents a complete, accessible picture of this important figure, whose story is inspiring, instructive and international in scope.” Read the full review.