Christ, Church and World

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) remains among the most widely read theologians in Europe, North America, and beyond. The recent translation of the complete collection of Bonhoeffer's work into English has opened his writing to a new generation of scholars to attend to the detail and complexity of Bonhoeffer's theology on its own terms and give a basis for better understanding of Bonhoeffer with respect to his early 20th century European intellectual context. This has led to a deeper recognition of how he might contribute to contemporary discussions in theology and ethics. This volume directs and consolidates the work of some important scholars beginning to move in these new directions - it establishes a foundation for ongoing scholarship in theology and ethics engaging and drawing upon Bonhoeffer. Many significant debates in contemporary theology have been in some way shaped by his provocative legacy. A generational shift has recently occurred in the reception, interpretation, and application of Bonhoeffer's writings.
The central achievement of the older generation of scholars was to consolidate Bonhoeffer's varied, diffuse and fragmented body of work into the critical edition of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Werke. The complete collection of Bonhoeffer's work has been translated into English and this has established a new basis for engaging and assessing Bonhoeffer's legacy and its implications - it allowed a new generation of scholars to attend to the detail and complexity of Bonhoeffer's theology on its own terms and gave the basis for better understanding of Bonhoeffer with respect to his early 20th century European intellectual context; as well as it has made possible a deeper recognition of how he might contribute to contemporary discussions in theology and ethics. This volume directs and consolidates the work of some important scholars beginning to move in these new directions - it establishes a foundation for ongoing scholarship in theology and ethics engaging and drawing upon Bonhoeffer.