The Cost of Discipleship

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, and anti-Nazi dissident, was deeply shaped by his intellectual and historical context. Born in 1906 into a family noted for its intellectual capabilities, Bonhoeffer was immersed in academic rigor and philosophical inquiry from a young age. His theological education not only imparted knowledge but also emphasized wisdom, precision, and intellectual clarity. These elements became evident in his subsequent challenges to conventional religious practices and ethical norms, notably articulated in his book The Cost of Discipleship, where he introduced the concept of “cheap grace.”

Bonhoeffer’s perspectives were further enriched by a sojourn in the United States, where, during his time in Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church, he was exposed to the notion of faith as a call to social action and justice. The committed faith he witnessed in the African American community profoundly impacted him, sowing the seeds for his later active resistance against the Third Reich’s policies toward Jews. Upon his return to Germany, Bonhoeffer found a church that he perceived as morally and spiritually unprepared to confront the challenges posed by Hitler’s regime, which deepened his commitment to what he saw as authentic Christian