Abstract
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is one of the most famous theologians of the twentieth century, not least because of taking a firm stand against the Nazi regime, a stand that would cost him his life. Less well known is his work in ecumenism, despite the fact that he was heavily involved for over a decade and some of his ecumenical friends played a significant role in his personal life as well as in his part in the conspiracy to assassinate Hitler and wrest the German government from the hands of the Nazis. Although Keith Clements has done excellent work on this aspect of Bonhoeffer’s life and writings, it is still an area that is under-researched. Therefore, a detailed study of this sort is to be welcomed.
Garcia’s approach is both original and interesting, bringing Bonhoeffer’s theology into dialogue with that of John Calvin. There have been a number of studies looking variously at how Bonhoeffer was influenced by the Reformed theologian Karl Barth, what the significant disagreements between them were, and even how Bonhoeffer’s theology influenced Barth’s. Given their collaboration in the Confessing Church, their correspondence, and the overt references to one another in their work (let alone the many signs of less explicit influence), these studies are of obvious value. Yet, as Garcia says, Barth is by no means a typical representative of the Reformed tradition, and therefore any links between him and Bonhoeffer cannot simply be claimed as links between Bonhoeffer and Reformed theology. Thus, Garcia looks at a number of strands within Bonhoeffer’s theology and demonstrates ‘convergences’ with Calvin’s theology. These theological themes form the main chapters of the book, addressing Christology, pneumatology, ethics and the relation of the Church to the world. In each of these areas Garcia highlights similarities. These theological emphases provide a lens for Garcia to explore some of the ecumenical work already undertaken between Lutheran and Reformed Churches. His conclusion is that ‘dialoguing with Bonhoeffer helps us to think after the tradition, by wrestling with the traditions of the Reformation and conceiving new possibilities that both preserve these traditions and transform them as they encounter one another’ (p. 199). Garcia points out other ways in which Bonhoeffer could prove helpful in today’s ecumenical work, and issues a call to theologians to work on both the retrieval of the various traditions and to use that retrieval as part of ecumenism today.
As well as being original in its approach, Garcia’s work has the potential to be of interest to a number of people: those who are interested in Bonhoeffer, obviously, but also those who are interested in the Reformed tradition and in ecumenism. Although the detail on Bonhoeffer is not always persuasive (and it is a severe hindrance to good scholarship when citations are given only to the English-language editions), this is a well-written book and a helpful contribution to the field.