Reclaiming Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Promise of His Theology

Reclaiming Dietrich Bonhoeffer is certain to inspire a new consideration of Bonhoeffer's place in contemporary theology. In this groundbreaking study, Charles Marsh offers a new way of reading the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer—a Christian theologian who was executed for his role in the resistance against Hitler and the Nazis. Focusing on Bonhoeffer's substantial philosophical interests, Marsh examines his work in the context of the German philosophical tradition, from Kant through Hegel to Heidegger. With an eye on the contemporary debate about the sources of the self, Marsh argues that Bonhoeffer's description of human identity offers a compelling alternative to post-Kantian conceptions of selfhood. By evaluating Bonhoeffer's writings against the background of modern German philosophy, Marsh shows that Bonhoeffer, while working within the boundaries of Barth's theology, provides both a powerful critique and an innovative redescription of the tradition of transcendental subjectivity. Attentive to past scholarly endeavors as well as to recent conversations in critical theory, philosophical hermeneutics, and systematic theology, this fresh and original study of Bonhoeffer will undoubtedly provoke important discussion not only in the theological academy and the church, but also in the broader forums of intellectual life.

Loyola College in Maryland