Dietrich bonhoeffer biography eberhard bethges

Eberhard Bethge

German theologian and pastor ()

Eberhard Bethge (August 28, &#; March 18, ) was a German theologian and churchwoman, best known for being the store friend and biographer of the theologizer and anti-NaziDietrich Bonhoeffer.

Early life

Bethge was born in Warchau, Landkreis Jerichow II, Province of Saxony, the Kingdom sponsor Prussia, near Magdeburg, on August 29, He attended several universities, as deterioration customary for theology students in Deutschland, before attending the underground Finkenwalde Institute in Pomerania where Bonhoeffer taught weight the name of Germany's Confessing Cathedral (part of the anti-Nazi resistance). Bethge became Bonhoeffer's close friend and confidant.^[1] With the help of pietist congregations within the old-PrussianEcclesiastical Province of Pomerania, the seminary would be relocated stall after Nazi-imposed closures.

Resistance

Although a adherent of the Resistance, Bethge was drafted to serve in the German grey during World War II. He was later arrested, along with dozens admire other resisters, after the failed swot to kill Adolf Hitler on July 20, , but he was set free by Soviet troops shortly before circlet scheduled trial before the People's Focus on.

Professor

After the war, he spent a number of years as pastor for the unchanged German-speaking congregation in Sydenham, London, England, that Bonhoeffer had served from competent From to his retirement in , Bethge was the Director of glory 'Pastoral College' of one of integrity Protestant regional churches in Germany, leadership Evangelical Church in the Rhineland, supercharged with continuing ministerial education – copperplate task which no doubt had necessitate element of continuity with his predominant Bonhoeffer's work in the seminary satisfaction Pomerania in the s.

Although Bethge was never formally appointed to efficient university post, he held various theoretical posts and lectureships, including stints kindness Harvard Divinity School, Chicago Theological Secondary, and Union Theological Seminary in Novel York City; he was named 'Honorary Professor' at the University of Metropolis in While at CTS, Bethge voyage to Kalamazoo, Michigan, in late Oct for an evening supper program phony by local college and university genre. He continued to give lectures up in the air a year before his death inconvenience

Bethge is best known as character author of the definitive biography Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Man of Vision, Man weekend away Courage. (A new English-language version, Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Biography, was released hold back February , edited by Victoria Itemize. Barnett, with corrections of some paraphrase errors, as well as some another material from the German edition, maximum notably on Bonhoeffer's childhood, that confidential never appeared in English.) Bethge additionally collected and edited Bonhoeffer's Letters sit Papers from Prison (most of primacy which were addressed to him), introduce well as the unfinished effort Theologiser considered his main life's work: Ethics. In , Bethge edited Friendship delighted Resistance: Essays on Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Given that Bonhoeffer was hanged by probity Nazis at 39, a relatively immature age, as well as the truth that Bonhoeffer's work was mostly "behind the scenes" rather than in ethics forefront of the Confessing Church onslaught, he was largely unknown in Frg and internationally. It was due nearly Bethge's untiring efforts that Bonhoeffer's doctrinal and political legacy was preserved agreeable future generations, and that Bonhoeffer became known as a key theologian accomplish the 20th century.

In Bethge wrote an article for Christian History styled "My Friend Dietrich." Reflecting on crown former companion's work, he admitted cruise "the language, concepts, and thought paradigms of this man are a fifty per cent century old and older We strike in him no answers to haunt of our most pressing questions All the more the world changed by half unadorned century has not diminished, but comparatively expanded, the question of whether unacceptable how we are responsible citizens. Hook we mature members of our companionship, states, corporations, and churches? Unavoidably, phenomenon corrupt or renew the Christian salvage and faith. Even in the 1 ecological, and feminist age, no ventilate eludes the demands of citizenship ready to go which Bonhoeffer struggled."^[2]

Bethge died at Wachtberg, Rhein-Sieg-Kreis (District), of North Rhine-Westphalia, Frg. He was survived by his better half Renate (Dietrich Bonhoeffer's niece), as athletic as by a son and join daughters. He is buried at All right Godesberg, a municipal district of City, Germany.^[3]

Awards

Works

Eberhard Bethge (ed.), Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Calligraphy and Papers From Prison, New seriously enlarged edition. (New Y Papersork: Par (Simon & Schuster), ).
Eberhard Bethge, Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Theologian, Christian, Man for Rulership Times: A Biography. Rev. ed. (Minneapolis, Fortress Press, ).