DIETRIC H BONHOEFFER : A JEWIS H PERSPECTIV E by
RABB I A. JAME S RUDI N
NATIONA L I NTERRELIGIOU S AFFAIR S DIRECTO R THE AMERICA N JEWIS H COMMITTE E NEW YORK , NEW YORK
PRESENTE D AT THE EVANGELISCH E AKADEMI E NORDELBIE N HAMBURG , GERMANY
JUN E 17 , 198 7
Rudi n
Althoug h Dietric h Bonhoeffe r was no t eve n 40 year s ol d when he was execute d i n Berli n by th e Nazi s i n April , 1945 , he ha s clearl y emerged as th e dominan t figur e o f th e German Church' s resistanc e durin g th e demoni c year s o f 1933-1945. Eac h yea r see s th e appearanc e o f new article s and book s abou t Bonhoeffer , whil e sadly , eac h yea r als o see s th e death s o f th e men and women who actuall y knew and worke d wit h him .
As one sig n o f th e kee n interes t i n Bonhoeffer , th e Unio n
Theologica l Seminar y i n New Yor k City , one o f America' s most prestigiou s center s o f Christia n study , recentl y dedicate d a handsome study/loung e i n memory o f Bonhoeffer . He was a studen t a t Unio n i n th e earl y 1930s , and he visite d UTS jus t prio r t o th e
Secon d Worl d War. Bonhoeffe r biographie s abound , and hi s majo r works , te n publishe d volume s and si x work s o f collecte d papers , hav e bee n translate d int o English . I n sum, he ha s become a majo r
figur e i n Wester n Christia n thought .
As ofte n happen s i n suc h cases , many youn g people , fro m bot h side s o f th e Atlantic , who wer e bor n lon g afte r 1945 , have made Bonhoeffe r int o a cul t lik e figure . I n some center s o f theologica l study , th e two word s "Dietric h Bonhoeffer " ar e toda y invoke d wit h grea t solemnit y and sanctity , bu t ofte n withou t rea l
knowledg e o f th e man and hi s times, / o r th e man and hi s
teachings . Befor e he i s totall y los t i n th e mis t o f legend , i t migh t be usefu l t o loo k a t Bonhoeffer' s brie f life , and asses s
Rudi n th e impac t o f hi s teaching s fo r bot h Christian s and Jews .
Bonhoeffer' s lif e and thought s ar e wel l known t o u s
especiall y becaus e o f th e excellen t 1970 biograph y writte n by Eberhar d Bethge : DIETRICH BONHOEFFER, MAN OF VISION , MAN OF COURAGE. And i n 1962 Marti n Mart y edite d a usefu l volume , THE PLACE OF BONHOEFFER: PROBLEMS AND POSSIBILITIE S I N HIS THOUGHT.
Edwi n Robertson' s NO RUSTY SWORDS: LETTERS, LECTURES, AND NOTES, 1928-1936 , publishe d i n 1965 , provide s an Englis h translatio n o f Bonhoeffer' s work s writte n durin g tha t crucia l 8 yea r period . Finally , ther e ar e translation s o f Bonhoeffer' s late r writing s includin g hi s LETTERS AND PAPERS FROM PRISON. Al l o f thes e importan t volume s ar e complemente d by a larg e number o f monograph s an d article s abou t Bonhoeffer . Ther e i s no proble m i n eithe r readin g Bonhoeffe r o r readin g abou t him . The problem s li e elsewhere . As any one familia r wit h th e gatherin g o f intelligenc e dat a knows , i t i s relativel y eas y t o obtai n information . The difficult y comes when we attemp t t o analyz e an d evaluat e th e dat a we hav e obtained . So i t i s wit h Dietric h Bonhoeffer . The rea l questio n i s what do we make o f th e man, and what impac t ha s he had , i n thi s case , upo n America n Jewis h thinking .
Becaus e th e fact s o f hi s lif e ar e widel y known, I wil l focu s instea d upo n th e jus t mentione d critica l question , and I wil l do s o fro m a persona l perspective . Sinc e 1968 I hav e bee n
Rudi n deepl y engage d i n Christian-Jewis h relation s bot h i n Nort h
Americ a and oversea s as well . Tha t perspectiv e has pu t i n me i n
clos e touc h wit h most o f th e majo r Christia n and Jewis h interreligiou s personalities . I n addition , I hav e studie d th e significan t trend s and themes tha t ar e par t o f thi s excitin g and importan t endeavor . And i t i s fro m thi s perspectiv e o f two decade s tha t I write .
The German Churc h Struggl e durin g th e Naz i er a has a curren t compellin g interes t i n th e Unite d States . Americans , prio r t o th e blac k civi l right s struggle , th e Watergat e scandals , and th e Vietna m War, wer e ofte n highl y critica l o f German
Christia n leadershi p betwee n 1933 and 1945. and little , i f any , attentio n was give n t o thi s aspec t o f th e Naz i era . I t was generall y assumed tha t th e German Churches , bot h Evangelical( I us e tha t ter m i n it s Europea n and no t i n it s contemporar y America n meaning ) and Roman Catholic , were willin g collaborator s and accomplice s o f th e monstrou s Naz i leadership .
I n thos e year s immediatel y afte r th e War, Americ a appeare d t o be an innocent , righteou s superpower , whose peopl e wer e quic k t o judg e German behavio r durin g th e Holocaust . I t was onl y afte r th e ofte n violen t struggl e fo r blac k civi l right s i n th e 1960s( a struggl e tha t I was privilege d t o participat e i n alon g wit h thousand s o f othe r rabbi s and Christia n pastors) , th e wrenchin g and divisiv e war i n Southeas t Asia , and th e Watergat e
Rudi n scanda l tha t resulte d i n a U.S. President' s resignatio n fro m office...i t was onl y afte r thos e turbulen t and painfu l events , onl y then , I believe , were America n religiou s leader s trul y read y t o confron t th e ambiguitie s and th e ambivalences , th e cowardic e and th e courage , th e weaknes s and th e strengt h o f th e German Churc h struggle . And onl y the n were Americans , bot h Christian s and Jews , psychologicall y and spirituall y prepare d t o loo k closel y a t th e bes t known leade r o f tha t comple x movement, Dietric h Bonhoeffer .
Tha t i s why, eve n thoug h friends , associates , and admirer s o f Bonhoeffe r wrot e extensivel y abou t him , he and hi s
er a di d not^ t firs t engage th e attentio n o f many America n Jewis h and Christia n leaders . I t was , I strongl y believe , onl y when th e
Unite d State s "los t it s innocence" , tha t we were read y t o loo k a t Bonhoeffe r and hi s times .
Ther e i s toda y more sympath y and a greate r appreciatio n o f what th e Bonhoeffers , th e Marti n Niemollers , and th e othe r leader s o f th e Confessin g Churc h ha d t o encounte r whil e livin g i n a criminall y totalitaria n society . Bu t le t me be crysta l clea r on thi s point .
Whil e some America n Christia n and Jewis h leader s di d fai l t o spea k ou t i n criticis m o f th e U. S.• Government' s misguide d policies , bot h domesti c and international , durin g th e pas t two decades , thankfully , many othe r religiou s leader s wer e i n th e
forefron t i n condemnin g America n publi c official s fo r a serie s o f immora l action s and eve n crimina l acts .
Anothe r poin t i s crucial , as well . Durin g th e civi l rights , Watergate , and Vietna m periods , th e Unite d State s remaine d a democrati c societ y wit h an intac t and operatin g syste m o f governmenta l check s and balances , a fre e press , a fre e religiou s life , and a fre e academi c community . So , le t i t be understoo d tha t th e Americ a o f th e ant i blac k Ji m Crow laws , o f th e Vietna m War, and o f Watergate , was neve r politicall y spelle d wit h a "K", as i n AMERIKA. Some critic s asserte d tha t th e Unite d State s was a Fascis t and/o r Naz i lik e state , bu t the y wer e wrong .
Perhap s a medica l analog y migh t be helpful . America , when i t behave d immorally , coul d be likene d t o a body politi c stricke n wit h a dangerou s viru s that , i f unchecked , coul d damage th e entir e system . Naz i Germany, on th e othe r hand , was a bod y politic , totall y consumed by a monstrou s cance r tha t devoure d and destroye d million s o f peopl e i n th e process .
Wit h al l thes e caveat s i n mind , and wit h th e clea r knowledg e tha t al l historica l analogie s ar e inaccurate , nonetheless , America' s recen t travail s have done a t leas t thi s much: the y hav e provide d a more empatheti c audienc e fo r th e stor y o f Bonhoeffe r and hi s colleague s as the y confronte d th e murderou s patholog y o f Nazism .
Bonhoeffer' s persona l heroism(h e was execute d by th e Nazi s jus t a month befor e th e War was over) , hi s stirrin g sermons and articles , hi s commitment t o concret e actionC'No t i n th e fligh t o f ideas , bu t onl y i n actio n i s freedom . Make up you r min d and come ou t int o th e tempes t o f living" , he wrote)...al l o f thes e thing s touc h u s deeply .
We rea d wit h admiratio n hi s wel l crafte d and brillian t attac k i n 1933 on th e so calle d "Arya n Paragraph " o f th e Naz i Civi l Servic e regulations . Under tha t edic t al l "non Aryan"(rea d "Jews" ) officials , includin g minister s o f th e Stat e Church , had t o retire , excep t fo r Worl d War One veteran s o r thos e non Aryan s who had los t a so n o r fathe r i n tha t War.
Bonhoeffer , fro m hi s Christia n perspective , correctl y saw tha t thi s "Paragraph " was an attac k upo n th e basi c ministr y o f th e Church . Sinc e baptism , entr y int o th e fellowshi p o f Christ , i s s o importan t i n tha t ministry , any attemp t b y th e Stat e t o
exclud e fro m leadershi p thos e who conver t throug h baptis m t o Christianit y rob s th e Churc h o f it s ver y mission , it s ver y purpose . And sinc e Jesu s o f Nazaret h and hi s earl y follower s wer e al l "non Aryans" , th e Naz i regulatio n was al l th e more reprehensible . Bonhoeffe r wrote :
Pastor s ar e no t Stat e officials . Hence officia l regulation s canno t be applie d t o them unde r any circumstances...I t i s therefor e a n ecclesiastica l impossibilit y t o exclude , as a matte r o f principle ,
Jewish-Christia n members fro m any offic e o f th e Church .
Bonhoeffer' s fur y agains t th e "Arya n Paragraph " was perhap s furthe r fuele d by th e fac t tha t hi s brothe r i n law , was a "non Arya n Christian" , and hi s closes t frien d i n 1933 was a "non
Aryan " pastor . Bu t i t i s clea r fro m Bonhoeffer' s action s tha t hi s shar p critiqu e o f th e "Paragraph " woul d hav e bee n jus t as pointe d and publi c withou t th e persona l facto r bein g present .
Bonhoeffe r clearl y believed , fro m a fir m Christia n foundation , tha t baptis m means ful l membershi p i n th e Church , and no Stat e ha s th e righ t t o chang e tha t belief .
Bonhoeffe r battle d courageousl y agains t th e infamou s "German. Christian " movement, whic h was ofte n calle d th e "Brown Church" , becaus e so many o f it s leader s wore Stor m Troopers ' uniform s a t Syno d meetings . The "German Christians " demanded th e creatio n o f one nationa l Protestan t Ch^urch , th e applicatio n o f th e Fuhre r principl e and ant i Semitis m withi n th e church , th e eliminatio n o f al l "Jewis h influence " fro m teaching , liturgy , and preaching , and th e belie f i n an "Arya n Jesus" Bonhoeffe r considere d th e movement a heres y sinc e i t so completel y capitulate d t o th e Naz i ideolog y and belie f system .
We rea d wit h admiratio n hi s famous statemen t made i n 1938 afte r th e bruta l Crysta l Nigh t pogroms!• "Nur wer fu r di e Jude n schreit , dar f auc h gregorianisc h singen"("Onl y th e perso n who crie s ou t fo r th e Jews may sin g Gregoria n chants") , and Bethg e
remind s us tha t Bonhoeffe r alway s quote d Proverb s 31 , vers e 8 when discussin g th e situatio n o f Jews i n Naz i Germany: "Open th y
mout h fo r th e dumb i n th e caus e o f al l suc h as ar e appointe d t o destruction. "
One i s deepl y moved by Bonhoeffer' s climactic , and ultimatel y fapa l decisio n t o become an ant i Naz i activis t when he electe d t o wor k wit h hi s brothe r i n law , Hans vo n Dohnanyi , i n a politica l conspirac y agains t Hitler . As a secre t agen t o f th e German ant i Naz i group , Bonhoeffe r i s credite d wit h sendin g Jews
acros s th e borde r int o Switzerland . And earlier , i n 1933, throug h hi s friend , Professo r Pau l Lehmann o f Unio n Theologica l Seminary , he provide d firs t hand knowledg e abou t th e violen t ant i Semitis m
o f th e Nazi s t o Rabb i Stephe n S. Wise , the n America' s foremos t Jewis h leader .
Bethg e recount s tha t Bonhoeffe r helpe d many Jewis h refugee s i n th e 1930s whil e servin g i n Englan d as a Chaplain .
Whil e ther e he became a clos e associat e o f Bisho p Georg e Bel l o f Chicester , who was a leadin g ant i Naz i cleric .
Arreste d i n April , 1943 by th e Gestapo , Bonhoeffe r was kep t i n prison(thoug h wit h a smal l library ) unti l hi s executio n two year s later . Hi s fina l letter s revea l an emergin g sens e o f "Christia n realism" , a "thi s worldliness."' , an increase d emphasi s upo n th e Hebrew Scriptures , and an intriguin g concep t o f a "religionles s Christianity" . Hi s priso n letters " represen t
enormous spiritua l growth . Sadly , we ca n onl y speculat e where hi s brillian t min d woul d have le d Bonhoeffe r i f hi s lif e had no t ende d so prematurely . Not surprisingly , as earl y as 1938, Bonhoeffe r had tol d some seminarian s tha t "Secula r freedom , too , i s wort h dyin g for. "
Bonhoeffer , i t must alway s be remembered , di d what ver y few o f hi s fello w pastor s did . He crosse d th e lin e fro m purel y
spiritua l resistanc e fro m withi n th e church(sermons , declarations , letters , articles , and lectures) , and bravel y and tragicall y moved int o direc t politica l actio n agains t Hitle r and th e Nazis . As Bethg e point s out , i n hi s ac t o f "thi s worldliness" , Dietric h Bonhoeffe r was "entirel y alone" • Bethg e writes :
The Confessin g Churc h was carefu l no t t o includ e i n th e intercessio n list s individual s who suffere d imprisonmen t fo r so-calle d purel y politica l reasons . Bonhoeffe r knew th e situatio n perfectl y wel l and di d no t expec t hi s churc h t o includ e him on th e list . Bu t he migh t have expecte d tha t ther e woul d be a proces s later , a proces s fro m whic h woul d emerge an ethi c o f civi c oppositio n o r eve n o f revolutionar y resistance .
Much more can , and has bee n writte n abou t Dietric h
Bonhoeffer' s ant i Naz i activities , hi s leadershi p i n th e
Confessin g Church , hi s sturd y sens e o f Christia n "realism" , hi s
courag e in ' activel y combattin g Nazism , hi s act s o f persona l
friendshi p and assistance , and hi s hope s and aspiration s fo r hi s
belove d Church . A t a tim e when ther e wer e so few model s o f
Christia n courage , a t a moment i n histor y when th e Churc h seemed
t o be an accomplice , a t worst , o r a silen t observer , a t best , o f
th e Naz i movement, Dietric h Bonhoeffe r i s a powerfu l corrective .
I t i s tha t Bonhoeffer , th e politicall y activ e ant i Nazi ,
who pai d wit h hi s lif e fo r hi s activities , i t i s tha t Bonhoeffe r who ha s resonate d withi n th e Jewis h community . Where America n Jews hav e hear d o f him , i t i s thi s sid e o f hi s stor y tha t the y
respon d t o wit h positiv e appreciation . And tha t sid e o f
Bonhoeffer , I assert , i s a stirrin g reminde r tha t eve n i n th e
mids t o f demonic , systemi c evil , ther e was a t leas t one Christia n leade r who rebelled .
Bu t (an d i t i s a larg e "but" ) ther e i s anothe r sid e t o
th e Bonhoeffe r coi n tha t need s t o be carefull y examined . I add th e "but" , no t t o spoi l Bonhoeffer' s wel l earne d legacy , bu t rathe r t o indicat e tha t ther e i s more t o Dietric h Bonhoeffe r vi s a vi s Jew s and Judaism ; ther e i s anothe r dimensio n tha t needs t o be examined .
I am indebte d t o Professo r Rut h Zerne r fo r he r brillian t monograph , "Dietric h Bonhoeffe r and th e Jews" , tha t she delivere d
a t th e 1974 Conferenc e on th e Churc h Struggl e and th e Holocaust . Professo r Zerner , an America n Christian , ha s graphicall y illuminate d th e "other " sid e o f th e Bonhoeffe r legacy .
I n addition , two Jewis h thinkers , Professor s Emi l Fackenhei m and Richar d Rubinstein , hav e als o raise d some profoun d question s abou t Bonhoeffe r and hi s attitud e toward s Jews and Judaism .
Zerne r correctl y notes :
Bonhoeffer' s scattere d observation s abou t Jews and Jewis h experience s do includ e problemati c passages , ambiguities , and contradictions . I n many case s thes e tension s and evasion s may be onl y explaine d by th e practica l caution s and perniciou s exigencie s o f lif e i n Naz i Germany. I do no t inten d t o sugges t tha t Bonhoeffe r was an antisémite. Rather , lik e al l o f us , he was t o some exten t a victi m o f hi s backgroun d and hi s perspectives...Bonhoeffer 1 s...diagnosi s and prognosi s o f Jewis h historica l developmen t are...mos t disturbing...ar e typica l o f pre-Holocaust , pre-Vatica n II , Christia n thinking .
Althoug h Bonhoeffe r was one o f th e firs t Christia n
leader s t o respon d t o th e "Arya n Paragraph " i n 1933 , he made a clea r distinctio n betwee n baptize d "non Aryans" , tha t i s
Jewish-Christians , and th e res t o f th e Jews o f Germany. I n a 1933 statemen t tha t makes us most uncomfortabl e toda y he declared :
Withou t doub t th e Jewis h questio n i s one o f th e historica l problem s whic h ou r state(Naz i Germany) must dea l with , and withou t doub t th e stat e i s justifie d i n adoptin g new methods here...Thu s eve n today , i n th e Jewis h question , it(th e Church ) canno t addres s th e stat e directl y and demand o f i t some definit e actio n o f a differen t nature.. .
Bonhoeffe r di d not , a t tha t time , envisio n th e Churc h
makin g any direc t politica l statemen t t o th e Stat e abou t th e
situatio n o f German Jews , althoug h a few year s late r he , did , as an individual , tak e politica l actio n himself . As a Luthera n
pastor , Bonhoeffe r clearl y expresse s th e traditiona l "Two Kingdom " doctrin e tha t makes shar p distinction s betwee n th e
prope r role s o f th e Churc h and th e Stat e i n society .
To hi s credit , i n 1940 Bonhoeffe r confesse d t o th e
inadequac y o f thi s traditiona l positio n when a Christia n i s
confronte d wit h an evi l stat e lik e Naz i Germany!
The Churc h makes confessio n o f he r timidity , he r evasiveness , he r dangerou s concessions . She ha s repeatedl y bee n untru e t o he r offic e as watchman and he r offic e as consoler.. . She was dumb, when she shoul d hav e crie d out , sinc e th e bloo d o f th e innocen t was cryin g alou d t o heaven . She has no t foun d th e righ t wor d t o spea k i n th e righ t manner and a t th e righ t time...Sh e i s t o be hel d answerabl e fo r th e live s o f th e weakes t and most defenseles s o f th e brethre n o f Jesu s Christ .
By 1944, imprisone d by th e Gestap o and facin g death , Bonhoeffe r reache d th e conclusio n tha t th e Christia n Church , eve n th e Confessin g Churc h o f th e 1934 Barmen Declaration , eve n tha t
Churc h was "on th e defensive " wit h an "unwillingnes s t o tak e risk s i n th e servic e o f humanity..Th e plac e o f religio n i s take n by th e Church , tha t is...a s i t *shoul d be , bu t th e worl d i s made t o depen d upo n itsel f and lef t t o it s own devices , and tha t i s
al l wrong. "
Clearly , by 1944 Bonhoeffe r had crosse d hi s persona l Rubico n when he abandone d any rea l hop e tha t th e Churc h woul d tak e risks ; neithe r fo r hi s fello w Christians , no r fo r "th e servic e o f humanity. " I n a profoun d existentia l sense , Bonhoeffe r wa׳s "entirel y alone" .
Professo r Emi l Fackenheim , a prominen t Jewis h philosopher , ha s criticize d Bonhoeffe r becaus e th e priso n letters , do no t specificall y mentio n Jewis h sufferin g and martyrdom . Bethg e defend s Bonhoeffer ' by notin g tha t fou r
Bonhoeffe r men were i n priso n a t th e time , al l tryin g t o end th e Naz i regime , and "th e incredibl e sufferin g o f th e Jews. " Bu t Fackenheim' s critiqu e center s mostl y on th e ambiguou s eve n troublesom e aspect s o f th e priso n letters .
Bonhoeffer , eve n a t th e end o f hi s lif e when he turne d more and more t o th e Hebrew Scripture s fo r strengt h and comfort , alway s saw thos e Scripture s as a prelud e t o th e comin g o f Jesus , th e Christ . He maintaine d tha t th e Ten Commandments ca n "neve r be preache d i n abstrac t detachmen t fro m th e gospel. " The Hebrew Bible' s constan t emphasi s upo n "th e concept s o f repentance , faith , justification , and rebirth " brough t Bonhoeffe r solac e and renewa l whil e he was i n prison . Nevertheless , he was eithe r unabl e o r unwillin g t o se e th e Hebrew Scripture s i n thei r own terms , tha t i s withou t any referenc e t o th e Christia n gospel .
Walte r Harrelson , a distinguishe d America n Christia n
scholar , offer s a shar p critiqu e o f Bonhoeffer' s Biblica l views :
I f th e Ol d Testamen t ha s no meanin g fo r fait h apar t fro m it s meanin g i n Jesu s Christ(Bonhoeffer' s position) , the n thos e who i n fait h do no t declar e Jesu s t o be th e Messia h ar e simpl y lef t withou t thei r Scripture , ar e the y not?.. . I fin d i t intolerabl e t o maintai n tha t th e Jews who went t o deat h i n Buchenwal d and Dachau were i n any les s favorabl e positio n t o comprehen d th e meanin g o f God's redemptiv e love , witnesse d t o i n thei r Scripture , tha n were Bonhoeffe r and hi s fello w Christia n martyrs...Bonhoeffe r simpl y remove s th e Bibl e o f th e Jews fro m thei r hands...Bonhoeffer , i f we tak e hi s word s a t fac e value , doe s no t assig n much meanin g t o the ' fait h and hope o f Israe l FOR Israel , o r o f th e Jewis h peopl e today . The unit y o f th e Bibl e i s give n onl y i n Jesu s Christ ; onl y i n Chris t i s Davi d understood ; onl y i n Chris t i s creatio n understood ; onl y i n Chris t ar e th e prayer s o f th e men o f th e Psalte r als o th e Word o f God t o man. Thi s seems t o me t o be entirel y unjustified , exegeticall y and theologically .
Traditionally , Christia n thinker s have maintaine d two polarize d view s o f th e Jewis h people . The firs t i s tha t th e Jews ar e "th e brethre n o f Jesu s Christ" , and thos e Jews who hav e bee n baptize d i n th e tru e fait h have , i n theologica l parlance , "come home" t o Christianity .
The opposin g pola r vie w i s tha t th e Jews represen t th e "Juda s figure" , th e "peopl e who naile d th e redeeme r o f th e worl d t o th e cross. " I n thi s theologica l construction , th e Jews ar e curse d and punishe d by God, *condemned t o be th e perpetua l outsider , th e universa l paria h people . As Rubinstei n succientl y
Rudi n put s it , Jews i n classi c Christia n teachin g wer e perceive d as eithe r "th e bes t o f saint s o r th e wors e o f sinners , bu t neve r simpl y as a human being. "
Bonhoeffe r reflect s bot h o f thes e extrem e views . I n hi s writing s he employ s suc h negativ e term s as "thi s mysteriou s people" , "peopl e love d and punishe d by God", and "th e rejecte d people " t o describ e Jews . Onl y by baptis m ca n th e Jews , i n
Bonhoeffer' s view , gai n salvatio n and be a t one wit h God. We ar e no t surprise d the n by his spirite d defens e o f Jewish-Christian s withi n th e Church .
Bu t what abou t th e Jews who remai n faithfu l t o thei r own tradition , who do no t become baptized ? I n 1937 Bonhoeffe r wrot e tha t Jews as "Juda s ar e th e people , divide d t o it s uttermos t depths , fro m whic h Jesu s came, fo r th e chose n people , tha t ha d receive d th e promis e o f th e Messia h and ye t coul d no t lov e hi m i n thi s way."
Bu t becaus e Bonhoeffe r i s Bonhoeffer , i t i s neve r s o simple . "Who i s Judas?" , he rhetoricall y asks . "Face d wit h thi s question , ar e we abl e t o do anythin g bu t sa y wit h th e disciples , Lord , i s i t I ? I t i s I?' " He clearl y understoo d somethin g els e as well : "An expulsio n o f th e Jews fro m th e West must necessaril y brin g wit h i t th e expulsio n o f Christ . .For Jesu s Chris t was a Jew." Ambiguitie s and ambivalences ' abound .
Bu t ther e i s enoug h i n th e lif e and teaching s o f Dietric h - 15 -
Bonhoeffe r t o celebrate . He was a gallan t figur e i n th e German struggl e agains t Nazism , bu t what i s no t neede d i s a mythologica l
Bonhoeffe r who i s large r tha n life , a Bonhoeffe r withou t ambivalences , ambiguities , and complexities . Thi s i s especiall y tru e when we discus s Christian-Jewis h relation s and hi s own perception s o f Jew s an d Judaism .
I se e Bonhoeffe r a s a transitio n figure . He clearl y and consistentl y expresse d th e traditiona l Luthera n view s o f hi s tim e and plac e abou t Jews an d Judaism . He saw th e Jews ' ultimat e conversio n as th e "end o f th e people' s suffering. " Bu t toward s th e end o f hi s lif e he appeare d t o transcen d th e teaching s o f hi s
Churc h and he bega n t o move toward s a n undefine d "religionles s Christianity" . He understoo d tha t God wante d hi m t o exten d hi s
compassio n fa r beyon d th e narro w confine s o f hi s Church . .
He i s a transitio n figure , a pilgrim , becaus e he was neve r abl e t o complet e hi s evolutio n fro m a theologicall y sturd y
Luthera n pasto r t o a Christia n universalist . And becaus e he live d wher e he di d and when he did , i n th e ver y bowel s o f a gangste r state , he was thwarte d i n hi s attemp t t o fashio n a new
Christia n understandin g o f Jews and Judaism .
Becaus e o f th e many ambiguitie s surroundin g Bonhoeffer , he ha s ha d limite d impac t and influenc e withi n th e America n Jewis h community . He is , o f course , widel y respecte d fo r hi s
ant i Naz i activities , bu t he i s, no t looke d t o as a majo r thinke r
i n buildin g bridge s o f mutua l respec t and understandin g betwee n Christian s and Jews . Tha t rol e i s lef t t o others .
Bu t ther e i s anothe r facto r a t work withi n th e Jewis h community : one tha t ha s t o be carefull y stated . Dietric h
Bonhoeffer , a wel l born , wel l educate d German Lutheran , was kille d by t}־ie Nazis , bu t quit e clearl y he coul d hav e chose n anothe r pat h tha t woul d hav e spare d hi m a priso n execution . He had a choice , and he consciousl y chos e t o do what he di d wit h ful l knowledg e o f th e consequences .
Bu t i t was no t s o fo r th e Jews . The learne d and th e ignorant , th e wel l bor n and th e lowly , th e scholar s and th e students , th e atheist s and th e believers , and , o f course , th e baptize d and th e unbaptized , ever y Jew was a targe t fo r th e Naz i murderers . Entir e center s o f Jewis h learning , *intellect , and piet y wer e destroyed ; countles s teachers , professors , poets , religiou s thinkers , and artist s wer e kille d i n thos e dreadfu l years . A worl d tha t onc e was exist s no more. Nobe l Laureat e Eli e Weise l has eloquentl y state d how i t was durin g th e Holocaust : "Not al l th e Naz i victim s were Jews , bu t ever y Jew was a Naz i victim" . I t i s agains t tha t staggerin g and crushin g backgroun d tha t we mourn ou r 6,000,000 martyrs .
I n analyzin g Dietric h Bonhoeffer , a Christia n martyr , i t i s clea r tha t hi s influenc e must , by th e ver y natur e o f hi s teaching , be fa r greate r i n the' Christia n communit y tha n i n th e
Jewis h community , And tha t i s as i t shoul d be . Bu t Christian s and Jews ca n bot h shar e i n th e memories and teaching s o f ou r
martyrs . Jews ca n and do admir e hi s courage . We greatl y admir e how Bonhoeffe r attempte d t o balanc e th e contemplativ e lif e o f a
schola r and teache r wit h th e lif e o f a politica l activis t and fighte r agains t Nazism . We ca n admir e hi s persisten t searc h fo r a broa d universa l respons e t o evil , whil e remainin g faithfu l t o hi s
uniqu e religiou s tradition .
We ca n admir e hi s impatience , especiall y a t th e en d o f hi s life , wit h thos e who wer e paralyze d i n th e fac e o f evi l by stric t orthodox y and doctrina l purity . The Confessin g Church , i n it s famous Barmen Declaratio n o f 1934 , di d no t addres s th e virulen t ant i Semitis m o f th e Nazis . The predominan t theologica l
influenc e o f th e Declaratio n gave i t a narro w othe r worldl y Christology , rathe r tha n one tha t was deepl y roote d ethicall y t o thi s world . Thi s inadequacy , i n th e fac e o f Naz i barbaris m and cruelty , i s th e Declaration' s singl e greates t deficiency . And Bonhoeffe r knew it .
Dietric h Bonhoeffe r understoo d as di d tew . o f hi s colleague s i n Naz i Germany tha t "...th e Churc h behel d th e despoti c applicatio n o f brut e force , th e physica l and spiritua l sufferin g o f countles s innocen t people , oppression , hatred , murde r withou t raisin g he r voic e o n behal f o f th e victim s and
withou t havin g foun d means o f hastenin g t o thei r aid. " Surely , thi s i s more tha n enoug h t o constitut e Dietric h Bonhoeffer' 8
permanen t legac y fo r bot h ou r communities . - 19 ־
