The Reluctant Revolutionary: Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Collision With Prusso-german History

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a uniquely reluctant and distinctly German Lutheran revolutionary, analyzed and critiqued his class - the Bildungsbürgertum - not as a secular liberal but as a devout Lutheran Protestant who recognized the moral derailment of his people. Bonhoeffer confronted his compatriots both religiously and politically, and his life and works should be examined in both of those contexts, the author, an Anglican priest and modern historian, argues. As such, this study evaluates the career of Bonhoeffer within the broader context of German history while referencing Bonhoeffer s complete works and many works by reputable theologians from around the world. Only against the background of the former Prussian-German absolutism and the intellectual-historical legacy of Hegelianism and Neo-Rankeanism, can Bonhoeffer s long-term endeavor to reeducate his people both theologically and politically be fully appreciated.