Bonhoeffer's Christocentric Theology and Fundamental Debates in Environmental Ethics

van den Heuvel

• Publisher: Pickwick Publications
• Year: 2017
• eBook ISBN: 9781498296205
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Systematic Theology & Ethics

There is widespread understanding of the close connection between religion and the ecological crisis, and that in order to amend this crisis, theological resources are needed. This monograph seeks to contribute to this endeavor by engaging the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. His theology is particularly suitable in this context, due to its open-ended nature, and to the prophetic and radical nature of the questions he was prepared to ask--that is why there are many other attempts to contextualize Bonhoeffer's theology in areas that he himself has not directly written about. In this monograph, Steven van den Heuvel first of all addresses the question of how to translate Bonhoeffer's theology in a methodologically sound way. He settles on a modified form of the general method of correlation. Then, secondly, van den Heuvel sets out to describe five major concepts in Bonhoeffer's work, bringing these into critical interplay with discussions in environmental ethics and eco-theology. In making the correlations he thoroughly describes each concept, situating it in the historic and intellectual background of Bonhoeffer's time. He then transposes these concepts to contemporary environmental ethics, describing what contribution Bonhoeffer's theology can make.

1

Introduction

The aim of the present monograph is to bring the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer to bear on the developing field of environmental ethics. Here in the first chapter, the following, initial section will begin by offering a broad, introductory account of the subject and its relevance. On that basis, the second section will put forward the research question, followed by a brief overview of previous research that has been carried out on the topic under discussion (the status quaestionis). Following the third section, which deals with the methodology that shall be employed (namely, that of correlation), the fourth and final section will chart out the course that the monograph will follow.

The Subject and Its Relevance

When Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life came to an end at the gallows on April 9, 1945, he left behind a work—and a life—in fragments. This fragmentary nature of his work is perhaps best exemplified by his Ethics: though Bonhoeffer considered this collection of disjointed manuscripts to be his main work, he never managed, in the end, to bring it to completion.1

Following the war, the enigmatic “fragment” of Bonhoeffer’s work—which was catalysed both through and in conjunction with his moving and inspiring biography—became a major source of inspiration for theological reflection. After some initial confusion about his perceived departure from classical theology in his writings from prison, it quickly became apparent that there was much more to Bonhoeffer’s writings than a mere collection of catchphrases describing a world “after God”—indeed, scholars soon discovered a rich and robust Christology underlying his work. At present, decades after his untimely death, a much clearer and systematic understanding of his theology has been achieved, even though debate over the interpretation of certain aspects of his thought continues.

One of the defining features of the research carried out on Bonhoeffer’s work is not only an ever-deepening understanding of his theology, but the repeated attempts to bring his theology into conjunction with a wide variety of different contexts and debates, such as on the political struggle for a new South Africa,2 on the ethics of resistance,3 and on debates in the biosciences.4 Although Bonhoeffer is certainly not the first or the only theologian to be studied in this way, attempts of this sort are comparatively more frequent in his case, even in spite of the apparent gaps between the world in which Bonhoeffer lived and worked and the contemporary world in which the problems in question are being raised.5 Beyond the general attractiveness of Bonhoeffer’s biography, one important reason for this has to do precisely with the fragmented nature of his life and work, combined with the open and searching character of his thought.6 Another reason relates more directly to the content of Bonhoeffer’s theology, specifically to his desire to speak to the world—throughout his work he developed multiple concepts by which to overcome what he perceived to be a false distinction between “Christian” and “secular” concerns, the most famous of which is his proposal for a non-religious Christianity. Notions such as these have led interpreters to perceive in Bonhoeffer a public theology avant la lettre.7

This monograph aims to continue this research-tradition by critically correlating Bonhoeffer’s theology with contemporary environmental ethics. Rather than being born out of pure and simple academic interest, the basic motivation for the project is the widespread recognition that an adequate theological response is greatly needed in light of the current ecological crisis. Lynn White Jr. was the first to make the case that Christianity is at least partly responsible for the present environmental crisis and that, as such, in order to address this crisis, resources from the Christian tradition are needed.8 Although the particulars of his argument have been seriously criticized, the fact that a relation exists between religion and ecology is nowadays widely acknowledged.9 Ecotheology can be seen as a conscientious attempt to reflect on this relationship and to transform it into a mutually constructive one, although it is true that, at present, no consensus has been reached on how such a fruitful correlation should be brought about.

One specific way of working in ecotheology is to research the theology of one or more individual theologians whose work is thought to be capable of contributing to the current environmental debate, even though these theologians themselves may not have explicitly written on environmental issues. Many examples of this approach are readily available, and more often than not, they take shape in the form of articles published in scholarly journals or of essays printed in edited volumes. One recent example is Ecological Hermeneutics: Biblical, Historical and Theological Perspectives.10 In the second part of this book, the theologies of, among others, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, Karl Barth, Hans Urs von Balthasar and Jürgen Moltmann are redirected towards the field of environmental ethics. With the exception of Moltmann, none of these theologians expressly addressed ecological concerns in their work. As such, various hermeneutical procedures and methods are employed in order to transpose their theologies, or to make them relevant, in the context of ecology.11 Many other examples of this approach abound, and some of them will be mentioned further on. This study fits within this research tradition.

The Research Question and the Status Quaestionis

In this study, I seek to answer the following research question: “In which way can a number of concepts from the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer be transposed and made relevant for contemporary discussions in the field of environmental ethics?”

There have been various attempts to transpose Bonhoeffer’s theology in the direction of environmental ethics. In what follows, I will address the status quaestionis in this regard. It will become clear that, in spite of the research previously carried out, a thoroughgoing study of the subject has yet to be made.

The first scholar to draw a connection between Bonhoeffer’s theology and environmental ethics was Hans Dirk van Hoogstraten.12 Specifically drawing on James Burtness’s interpretation of Bonhoeffer,13 he discerns a christological teleology in Bonhoeffer’s assertion that it is Christ who structures reality, and directs it towards himself. Van Hoogstraten places this teleology over against the teleologies of market capitalism and gaiacentrism, claiming that instead of these, Bonhoeffer’s christocentric teleology provides us with a goal that can really be aspired to.

The second one to relate Bonhoeffer’s theology with ecology was Patrick A. Nullens. He did so in his doctoral dissertation, submitted in 1995.14 Although it does not focus exclusively or even primarily on Bonhoeffer’s theology, Nullens does clearly indicate certain contributions that Bonhoeffer’s theology can make to the field of environmental ethics.15 Concretely, he takes note of Bonhoeffer’s deft navigation between the extremes of radicalism and compromise, the christocentric bearing of his ethics (which concentrate on Christ’s incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection), as well as his twin concepts of the ultimate and the penultimate. The connections between these elements of Bonhoeffer’s theology and environmental ethics that Nullens calls attention to are undoubtedly important and will certainly need to figure as elements of any serious pr...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Preface
• Abbreviations
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Care for the Natural in Light of Christ-Reality
• Chapter 3: Nature in Relation to Christ
• Chapter 4: Human Beings as Distinctive Parts of Nature
• Chapter 5: Human Beings as Masters and Lovers of Nature
• Chapter 6: Bonhoeffer’s Theology of Responsibility and the Social Dimension of Environmental Ethics
• Chapter 7: Conclusion
• Bibliography