1. Resistance and Submission; Feb 21, 1944. In this letter, Bonhoeffer thinks of Don Quixote and reflects of when to resist and when to submit. The German title of the “Letters and Papers from Prison” is taken from this letter.
1a Wiederstand gegen Schicksal
1b Widerstand und Ergebung
1c Führung oder Schicksal?
1d Das bewegliche Leben
Practice Reading (a simplified summary of the main question of this letter)
2. The Need for Conversation; Dec 5, 1943. In this letter, written during the Second Sunday of Advent of his first year of imprisonment, Bonhoeffer reflects on his need for the human support of his friend, Eberhard Bethge. This rather lengthy letter begins with these personal comments and then moves to some important theological comments.
2a Das Bedürfnis für Unterhaltung
2b Wünschen für Ruhe und Freude
2c Ein festes Herz
2d Alttestamentliche Gedanken (fairly readable and interesting content—see comment.)
2e Das Letzte und das Vorletzte Wort
2f alttestamentlische Ethik
3. Life in Prison; April 5, 1943. DB writes to his parents describing daily life in prison
3a Jetzt nach 4 Wochen
3b Daily Routine
3c More on Daily Routine (from another letter)
5. Christmas Letter to His Parents; Dec 17, 1943. DB resolves not to allow himself to sink into depression.
5a dieses einsame Weihnachten
5b Longing and Memories
5c Christmas Belongs in Prison
5d I will think of you
5e A Very Silent Night
6. Morning Prayer for Prisoners (Christmas Morning, 1943)
6a Help Me Pray
6b Praise and Thanks
6c Lord Jesus, you were poor
6d Faith, Hope, and Love
6e God in Three Persons
6f For All Who Do Your Hard Service Here
7. An Indescribable Visit; Nov 26, 1943. Bonhoeffer is ecstatic after a visit from the four people closest to him: his parents, Maria, and Bethge, to whom the letter is addressed.
7a A Moment With the Four People Closest to Him
7b Did it really happen?
7c I rarely use the expression “indescribable”
7d Karl’s Cigar—really indescribable
8 Karl’s Gift (Nov 28, 1943)
9. Attack on Borsig; Nov 27, 1943. Heavy Allied bombing followed shortly after the visit of Maria, Bethge, and the elder Bonhoeffers.
9a Christmas Trees and Bombs
9b Angst and Shame
9c Cynical Openness
9d Rebuilding after the Horrors of War
9e The Wrath and Grace of God
10. The Morning After; Nov 28, 1943 (First Sunday of Advent). After the fierce night of bombing, DB celebrates Advent in his cell.
10a An Advent Wreath
10b It wasn’t pretty
11. Monday after the Bombing; Nov 29, 1943.
11a A Palpable Difference
11b Prayer and the Bible
12 Introduction to the Correspondence with Maria
12a Thinking of Maria; April 25, 1943 (Easter Sunday), a letter to his parents.
12b Maria’s First Impressions
12c Maria’s Hesitation; From her diary, Nov 27, 1942.
12d Reflections on Dietrich’s Character; From her diary, Oct 16, 1942.
12e Morning Devotion; Oct 18, 1942
12f A Second Tragedy for Maria
13-20 Thoughts on Nature and Earth (Selections from several letters, including some to Maria, on the theme).
13a Yes to God’s Earth; Aug 12, 1943 (to Maria)
13b Earthly Longings; Aug 20, 1943 (to Maria)
13c Sun Cult; Aug 20, 1943 (to Maria)
14 What a Wonderful World; Oct 13, 1943 (to his parents)
15a Loving God in this Life; Dec 18, 1943 (to Eberhard Bethge)
15b More Religious than God?; Dec 18, 1943 (to Eberhard Bethge)
16 Restoration of All Things
17 Earthly Love. May 20, 1944 to Eberhard Bethge from Tegel Prison. Eberhard Bethge is separated from his wife Renate (Bonhoeffer’s niece who has recently given birth to a son) by military service, as Bonhoeffer is separated from Maria by his imprisonment. Bonhoeffer is writing to console Bethge, who is deeply longing for his wife.
18a Butterflies and Birds; June 24, 1943, to his parents.
18b Prison Psychosis
19 Going to the Mountains in My Mind; Feb 12, 1944, to Bethge.
20. Art and Nature; March 25, 1945, to Bethge.
21. Christians and Heathen. The brief poem written from prison by Bonhoeffer is an appropriate meditation for Holy Week. The German is fairly simple and straightforward.
21a Christen und Heiden 1
21b Christen und Heiden 2
22c Christen und Heiden 3
23 Easter Wishes; April 25, 1942, Easter Sunday.
24 Reaction to Heavy Bombing; Jan 29 and 30, 1944
24a Cry for Help
24b Speechless
24c A Severe Loss
25 Letter to a Soldier; Jan 23, 1944. Bethge is in the army, stationed in Italy.
25a Let it Be
25b Friendship
25c Angst Christi
25d Education and Courage
26. On Culture; March 9, 1944. DB and Bethge exchange thoughts on culture, history, education, and theology.
26a Hilaritas
26b Medieval Worldliness
26c Education, Classics, Travel
27. Decisive Events and Religionless Christianity. In this important theological letter of April 30, 1944, DB raises many profound theological questions about the future of faith and the mission of the church in a religionless age.
27a Decisive Events are in Motion
27b Surprising Thoughts
27c A Totally Religionless Time
27d Christ Lord of the Nonreligious?
27e Speaking of God
27f Deus ex Machina?
27g The Beyond in the Midst
28 Bonhoeffer on Bultmann; May 5, 1944.
28a Too Far or Not Far Enough?
28b Individual Salvation?
28c Arcane Discipline
29 Worldview of Physics. May 29, 1944. DB had been reading Weizsäcker’s The World View of Physics and reflection on the issues it raises for theology.
29a Worldview of Physics
29b God of the Gaps?
30 Introduction to the Baptismal Letter. Eberhard and Renate Bethge named their son, born during DB’s imprisonment and Bethge’s military service in Italy, after his great-uncle, who wrote this baptismal letter for him in May of 1944.
30a Theology for Little Dietrich
30b The Day Will Come
31 So Many Questions; June 8, 1944. In this lengthy letter DB raises some of his most provocative and influential questions about the future of Christianity in a world that has come of age.
31a More Questions than Answers
31b World Come of Age
31c Secularized Methodism
31d Unchristian Apologetics
31e Christ’s Place in the World Come of Age?
31f Despair or Jesus?
31g Tillich Understood the World
31h Barth Against Religion
31i The Confessing Church
32j Bultmann Too
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