Understanding Bonhoeffer

Bonhoeffer remains enigmaticpreacher, theologian, visionary, ethicist. The variety of his public roles and the breadth of his thought ensure that Bonhoeffer eludes even as he captivates. In this volume, Peter Frick seeks new dimensions of that complexity by tracing and then weighing the influence of Bonhoeffer's philosophical, theological, and social formation in order to understand his lasting significance. Frick divides his study into three parts: "Reading Bonhoeffer" explores hermeneutical and translation difficulties; "Backgrounding Bonhoeffer" unpacks how the thought of Kempis, Nietzsche, Bultmann, Tillich, and Ebeling informs Bonhoeffer's work; and "Foregrounding Bonhoeffer" models concrete ways in which Bonhoeffer speaks to issues of race, globalization, peace, politics, and social responsibility. If Bonhoeffer is enigmatic, it is equally true, as Frick reveals, that he remains endlessly relevant.