For one of my assignments, I chose to do some research on what Bonhoeffer believed concerning the Bible. As a theologian, he is almost impossible to "categorize". Some say that he is very "liberal" because he studied under men like Harnack and Barth. Others say that he is "conservative" because he seemed to stand in contrast to his teachers. Where does he belong? This is a hard question to answer, especially after reading through his biography, for I was struck again with the oddities of this man. Yet, he also lived during a time when there were extreme political agendas being pursued--Hitler and Nazi Germany. He was attacked by the German state church for preaching the Bible and speaking boldly for the truth. He was faced with many hard decisions to make. And in the end, he died a martyr.
While Bonhoeffer believe some odd things concerning the Bible (i.e. not inerrant, capable of human discrepancy, made the Word of God as God spoke through the human words), he did have a devotion and love for the Word of God that stood out in stark contrast to the "theological norm" of the day. For a person, who according to our standard was less than "fundamental" in thinking, he loved the Bible. He truly and honestly wanted to hear God speak to him. He wanted to obey God. He wanted to grow in the knowledge of God. He counted it a privilege to preach the word of God. Because of this, there are a few things that we would to well to learn from our brother in Christ.
The following includes excerpts from my paper concerning Bonhoeffer's beliefs on bibliology:
Introduction
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was an early twentieth century theologian and pastor. He was known as an intense thinker and student. While he decided to study theology at an early age, it was not until later on in life that he came to a personal knowledge of salvation and desired to live out the theology that he was learning. It was this same fervor, excitement, and seriousness for the things of God with which he employed himself and taught his students. His passion for the things of God, the Word of God and preaching was his most telling characteristic. This zeal for the Word of God is seen in most all of his writings. He said, “I believe that the Bible alone is the answer to all our questions and that to receive an answer from it, we only need ask with persistence and a little courage.”
Bonhoeffer is to be commended for his commitment to the word of God. We would do well to take up this “torch” and learn to approach the Word with the same attitude. Many scholars during his time (and in our day as well) were forsaking the Holy Scriptures for man’s ideas and treating the Bible only as an historical book to be criticized. Yet, Bonhoeffer truly believed that the Bible contained the word of God, and he desired to practice this truth in his life.
The Word of God needs no decoration...
“How terribly dangerous it is for anyone who has stood in St. Peter’s in Rome to hear and love the heavenly voices of the Sistine Choir—and not to love the very voice of God as it sounds forth from the language of the Bible. How close to blasphemy to use such rich, splendid accomplishments of human art to celebrate the memory of the man who wore carpenter’s clothes and spoke the clear and simple language of everyday life; this might obscure the poverty and lowliness of Jesus Christ. That we love the creation more that God, this is the deep danger and temptation of all those who want to love music for God’s sake….There is great seriousness in this approach, much knowledge of the uniqueness and exclusiveness, the austerity of the divine revelation, for which there can be no replacement. The word of God needs no decoration. We want to keep this firmly in mind: the word of God, as found in the Bible and as it sounds forth to us in the proclamation of the gospel, needs no decoration."
In a letter that Bonhoeffer wrote to some of the former seminary brothers, he encouraged them concerning their diligence to the Word. He wrote: “as well as meditation, however, daily, plentiful reading of Scripture must keep its place. No day of our life in office may go past without our having read the Bible on it. The very controversies of the last months (referring to the church struggle and rise of Nazism) have once again clearly shown to our shame how unversed in the Holy Scripture we still are….We must make it a rule to look for the Scriptural evidence for every decision that confronts us, and not to rest until we have found it. Our confidence in dealing with the Bible must increase year by year.”
Conclusion
One cannot read any of Bonhoeffer’s writings without acknowledging the fact of his devotion and love for the Scriptures. Even when he was imprisoned, his daily disciplines of meditation and the reading of the Bible were most important to him. In light of this, we would do well to come to the word of God with as much fervor and love. However, in contrast to Bonhoeffer, we know that the Bible is the Word of God which is totally breathed out by God and inerrant. There is no new special continuing revelation of the Word of God. There is nothing that can be added or taken from the revealed Word of God.
In relation to the preaching of the Word, a focused seriousness of proclaiming the Word of God is necessary for pastors. Yet, we know that preaching is the exposition of the special revelation of God from the past, rather than new revelation. God has given all things that “pertain to life and godliness” through His Son and His completely revealed Word. We need not seek any “new revelation” from God, but only submit and yield ourselves to the indwelling Holy Spirit for the illuminating of God’s revelation to us.
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