Bonhoeffer, Cardijn and Gaudium et Spes
Bonhoeffer, Cardijn and Gaudium et Spes: Have you ever thought about them holistically together?
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (February 4, 1906 – April 9, 1945) was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, anti-Nazi dissident, and founding member of the Confessing Church. He was imprisoned by the Nazis in 1943 and executed in 1945. Deeply interested in ecumenism, he was appointed by the World Alliance for Promoting International Friendship through the Churches (a forerunner of the World Council of Churches) as one of its three European youth secretaries. At this time, he seems to have undergone something of a personal conversion from being a theologian primarily attracted to the intellectual side of Christianity to being a dedicated man of faith, resolved to carry out the teaching of Christ as he found it revealed in the Gospels.
Joseph Cardijn (13 November 1882 – 24 July 1967) was a Belgian Catholic cardinal and the founder of the movement of Young Christian Workers (Jeunesse ouvrière chrétienne, JOC). Cardijn’s legacy is immense. He is considered one of the most important figures in the history of the Catholic social movements. His work with the JOC helped to empower millions of young workers worldwide, and his social teachings continue to inspire people today. Joseph Cardijn was a true visionary and a champion of social justice. His work has had a profound impact on the lives of millions of people around the world. He is a role model for all who believe in the power of young people to change the world.
Gaudium et Spes is the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World, a document promulgated by the Second Vatican Council on December 7, 1965. For some, you may not have even been born yet. It is one of the Council’s most important documents, a document we know Joseph Cardijn played a role in its formation, and it has profoundly impacted the Church’s understanding of its role in the world.
The critical points of Gaudium et Spes include:
• The dignity of the human person: The document affirms the dignity of every human being, created in the image of God. This dignity is not dependent on race, religion, or social status.
• The call to communion: The document teaches that all people are called to fellowship with God and one another. This communion is the foundation of human society.
• The importance of social justice: The document emphasizes the importance of social justice and the need to work for the common good.
• The role of the Church in the world: The document teaches that the Church has a responsibility to proclaim the Gospel and to work for peace and justice in the world.
Gaudium et Spes is a landmark document that has helped to shape the Church’s understanding of its role in the world. It calls everyone together to build a more just and peaceful world.
Here are some additional critical points from Gaudium et Spes. Consider these as you read Bonhoeffer, especially his Papers from Prison, and focus on “religionless Christianity.”
• The Church is called to be a sign of hope and joy in the world.
• The Church must be open to the insights of other religions and cultures.
• The Church must work for the transformation of the world following the Gospel.
• The Church must be a sacrament of unity for all people.
Gaudium et Spes is a challenging and inspiring document that calls the Church to a new way of being in the world. It is a call to hope, joy, and action.
Bonhoeffer’s outline for the book Religionless Christianity
Bonhoeffer’s writings on religionless Christianity have influenced the development of Christian theology in the modern world. In these writings, Bonhoeffer argues that the traditional understanding of Christianity as a religion we have experienced over the last 1,500 years is no longer adequate in the modern world. He argues that Christianity must be reconceived as a way of life lived in the world, not apart from it.
Bonhoeffer’s outline for a book on religionless Christianity was never completed, but his writings provide a valuable resource for understanding his thought.
Compare The following of Bonhoeffer’s ideas on religionless Christianity with Gaudium et Spes:
• Religionless Christianity is a way of life lived in the world, not apart from it.
• Religionless Christianity is not based on religious creeds or doctrines but on the person and work of Jesus Christ. (think Sermon on the Mount again)
• Religionless Christianity is not about escaping from the world but about transforming the world through love and justice.
• Religionless Christianity is not about being religious but about being human as a follower of Jesus.
Many evangelicals say Bonhoeffer’s ideas on religionless Christianity are controversial, but so are Jesus’ ideas, especially when you read them in the historical context of the situation in time he was speaking.
Like Gaudium et Spes, Bonhoeffer’s Outline for Book/Religionless Christianity has been used to argue for a more engaged and socially active form of Christianity, and they have also been used to assert a more inclusive and welcoming state of Christianity in the modern world.
In the modern world, Bonhoeffer’s ideas on religionless Christianity are more relevant than ever. As we employ the methods of See-Judge-Act to understand our world today and apply the teachings of Gaudium et Spes and Bonhoeffer, we discover new ways to make Christianity relevant to people who feel separated from the Gospel. Gaudium et Spes and Bonhoeffer’s ideas on religionless Christianity provide a way to do this. If we use the Cardijn See-Judge-Act method, they both offer a way to understand modern Christianity as a way of life that is lived in the world, not apart from it. We, Jesus, explained in the Sermon on the Mount. Both offer a way to understand Christianity as a way of love and justice, not escape. And they offer a way to understand Christianity as a way of being human, who is a Disciple of Christ in a secular world.
Bonhoeffer’s Outline for a Book and Gaudium it Spes are powerful and challenging calls for the Church to change. It is a call that is as relevant today as it was written.
Here are some additional thoughts on Bonhoeffer and Gaudium et Spes:
• Is there an argument that Christianity is in a crisis but can still be relevant today? The Church is facing many challenges, including the rise of secularism, political authoritarianism, the decline of religious faith, and the failure of the Church to address the social and political challenges of the modern world.
• Is Bonhoeffer’s argument that Christian faith is not about believing in a set of creeds or dogmas also relevant today? Religion turns Many people off because they see it as a set of rules and regulations they must follow. Bonhoeffer argues that the Christian faith is about following Jesus Christ and living in the world as he did. Again we do see this modus operandi in Gaudium it Spes?
• Gaudium et Spes and Bonhoeffer’s call for the Church to change is also relevant today. The Church needs to be willing to change and adapt to the challenges of the modern world. It also needs to be more engaged in the world and more active in working for justice and peace.
“The Church needs all of its lay-folk, not the clergy, to bring the kingdom of God into the present-day world.” ~ Louis J Putz CSC 1957
Author
Richard Pütz
Photo
Bettina Rott: Wilhelm Rott, 1908–1967: Lebenszeugnis, Pro Business Verlag, 2008
Wissen911 / Wikipedia
