Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Struggle for the German Church 1919-1990

The involved and complex story of the German Church Struggle needs to be viewed within a wider perspective than the twelve years of Nazi rule. Its roots lie deep within the varieties of theologies in the Weimar years (1919-1933) and its effects stretch forward to the eventual reunification of Germany in 1989-1990. A common thread between the competing parties within the struggle was a concern for the renewal and relevance of the German Protestant churches. Both in his life and writings, Dietrich Bonhoeffer can offer us a useful lens through which to view both these earlier and later dimensions of the struggle. Though only a minor figure in the events at the time, he was deeply committed to the future of the church and his ecumenical contacts placed him in a unique position from which to try to influence developments. The book draws upon both contemporary accounts and recent scholarship about the German Church Struggle and seeks to offer its readers an introductory but more balanced picture than hitherto available to English speaking readers.