August 6, 2008

A Protestant Saint?

Since leaving seminary and beginning my work as a pastoral resident I've been asking myself the question of how I'm going to engage theology while remaining faithful to the task at hand, my job. My fear is that I'll leave behind something I love (theology) in the midst of the craziness of life OR that trying to engage in a continual study of some kind will distract me from my work.

To experiment I thought I would study Bonhoeffer's works and thought. I figured of all the choices out there, Bonhoeffer would be a strong friend in my ministry setting. I'm not sure how this will work since I'm also coupling my mentoring to finish my M.Div. this fall to graduate in December with my residency. With mentoring I'll be reading 6 or so books this fall, which isn't alot except that I'm also trying to figure out work.

I've already read a few books on or by Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Discipleship, Life Together, & Psalms by Bonhoeffer and The Bonhoeffer Phenomenon by Stephen R. Haynes. Inspired by a few friends who have recently read or are reading Bonhoeffer I'l be picking up Ethics, Sanctorum Communio, Letters and Papers from Prison, Bethge's timeless biography and I'm currently reading Christ the Center. I'll probably return to The Cost of Discipleship a few times, since I haven't read it since college.

There are many reasons why to choose Bonhoeffer, but his context and death in a Nazi concentration camp, his life, and his Christocentric theology that pushes for church reform are just a few.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good choice on Bonhoeffer. He'll probably be on the top of my list as well once I'm done. Have you read Dissident Discipleship yet? Must read. I miss you. Come to Waco.

Joe Bumbulis said...

I was in Waco today, but only for a very limited time. I really excited about getting together with the group in a few weeks.

Anonymous said...

Really, reading Bonhoeffer...whereever did that idea come from?

Bonhoeffer's work has one focus - making present Christ-as-community, via concrete acts of witness. He is extremly consistent, even if the language changes. Everything begins with Commmunio...and works through in Letters and Papers. Good luck with it.

Pick up Barry Harvey's latest work - "Can These Bones Live?"