Disunion: An Exploration of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Concept of Shame

"Dietrich Bonhoeffer is known for many things – his understanding of shame is not one of them. Most texts quickly describe Bonhoeffer’s description of shame and quickly move on. Bonhoeffer himself is brief in his handling of the topic (brevity that garners critique from modern authors who question his understanding of the concept) only addressing it with any substance in his works "Creation and Fall" and "Ethics." Yet upon closer analysis it seems Bonhoeffer developed a rich theological understanding of shame that deserves its place in Bonhoeffer studies. The current paper will explore Bonhoeffer’s understanding of the origins of shame, what shame is for us today, and the only way in which shame can be overcome. The contemporary relevance of these understandings will then be discussed."

This is a brief, but unique, examination of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's understanding of shame.