Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of death and religious discrimination.

“For him Christianity could never be merely intellectual theory, doctrine divorced from life, or mystical emotion, but always it must be responsible, obedient action, the discipleship of Christ in every situation of concrete everyday life, personal and public.”

This quote explores one of the primary facets of Bonhoeffer’s philosophy. He believed in faith being put into action, which is what led him to work against Hitler and the Nazis during World War II. This philosophy is integral to Life Together because the book is a guide for channeling one’s faith in God into the act of forming Christ-centered community.

“The sin of respectable people reveals itself in flight from responsibility.”

There came a point when Bonhoeffer felt he could no longer abstain from actively combating the evils of the Nazi regime. To be passive during a time of need was a larger sin for him than partaking in war or schemes that could lead to violence. The word “responsibility” emphasizes Bonhoeffer’s sense of duty in opposing the Nazis.

“He took me aside: ‘This is the end, but for me it is the beginning of life.’”

Bonhoeffer believed that upon his earthly death, he would enter into eternity alongside God and other Christians who had passed away. Therefore, he was at peace about his death sentence and died knowing he had helped others as much as he could while he was on Earth.