The Ethics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
| Module title | The Ethics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer |
|---|---|
| Module code | THE2204 |
| Academic year | 2018/9 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Esther Reed (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) was a Lutheran pastor and theologian, founder of an underground seminary, spy, courier and politico-ecclesial diplomat. Resistance to the Nazi regime resulted in his imprisonment for one and a half years, and execution by hanging just a few months prior to the end of WWII. Many of his writings – not least those on ethics – have become modern classics.
This module will introduce you to some of Bonhoeffer’s most influential writings. It will be suitable for you if you are eager to read primary texts slowly and carefully, and if you want to understand the links between Bonhoeffer’s theology and ethics.
The module is open to students from cognate disciplines. Previous modules in Theology and Religion are highly desirable although not always essential. Please contact E.D. Reed to discuss.
If possible, please purchase a copy of Clifford J. Green, Michael P. DeJonge, The Bonhoeffer Reader (Fortress Press, 2013). Some of our class sessions will simply comprise reading portions of texts together. The exam will include short portions of text for explication and comment.
NOTE re: weekend conference. Location: Leeds. Provisional dates: Friday evening 26 October – Sunday lunchtime 28 October, 2018. Please note that the details of this conference have not yet been finalised. At the point of writing, the expectation is that we shall join with students from the University of Leeds and Aberdeen University, and the annual SCM and Project Bonhoeffer conferences. Financial support is being sought to help you with travel costs. Provisionally, however, you should expect to need money to cover transport and subsistence costs. Maximum cost for the trip will be £20 per day for food plus bus or train travel to Leeds. Free overnight accommodation available in a church hall (you will need a warm sleeping bag). You are at liberty to find your own accommodation, at your own expense, if you prefer.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to:
- Offer an introduction to the life and thinking of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, an important twentieth century martyr whose active opposition to National Socialism resulted in his execution in 1945
- Examine some of Bonhoeffer’s early writings before close attention to three of his most influential and important works: The Cost of Discipleship (1939), the Ethics (1940-1943) and Letters and Papers from Prison alongside reference to other writings by him
- Consider how Bonhoeffer’s rich legacy continues to influence Christian ethics and moral reasoning today, and might be revisited for fresh insight today
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Give an historically-informed account of the life and work, wisdom and witness of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- 2. Engage theologically with his ethical writings in particular
- 3. Analyse and evaluate his continuing influence in Christian ethics and moral reasoning
- 4. Venture constructive applications of Bonhoeffer's ethics to the present day
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Attend to, reproduce accurately, and reflect on the ideas and arguments of a major theologian with fairness and integrity, and to express, as appropriate, their own views about his continuing influence in Christian ethics today denigration of the views of others
- 6. Show critical self-awareness about one's own beliefs, commitments and prejudices
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Communicate effectively with peers and members of the teaching staff in oral form. Particular opportunity for developing communication skills will be provided in the 'presentation' and 'seminar' sessions
- 8. Communicate effectively in written form
- 9. Exercise substantial autonomy in the management of their own learning
- 10. Exercise judgement based on awareness of key issues in the area
- 11. Work effectively with others as reflective practitioners in peer relationships
Syllabus plan
This syllabus plan is indicative not definitive. It is determined broadly by The Bonhoeffer Reader (Fortress, 2013).
- Student Writings: Berlin, Barcelona, New York
- University Lectures
- Ecumenical and Pastoral Writings
- Theology and the Third Reich
- Christian Life and Community
- Christian Ethics and Public Life
- Theology from Prison: Worldly, Religionless Christianity
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | 265 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 22 | Lectures: Lectures / class readings of texts, 11 x 2hr sessions that will comprise both input from lecturer and workshop-style readings of texts |
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 11 | Seminars: Weekend conference, we are fortunate to be joining with at least two other student groups and the UK Project Bonhoeffer annual event |
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 2 | Tutorials: 1-2-1 or small group tutorials (as students prefer), Essay feed-forward sessions, i.e., to help you prepare the best essays of which you are capable |
| Guided independent study | 265 | Directed reading and private study |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar presentation | 15 minutes | 7, 9-10 | Informal peer assessment and oral comments from module co-ordinator |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 50 | 5000 words | 1-6, 8-10 | Feedforward from module co-ordinator in tutorial and written comments on essay plan |
| Examination | 50 | 2 hours | 1-6, 8-10 | Written feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay | 1-6, 8-10 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Examination | Examination | 1-6, 8-10 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Required reading:
- Clifford J. Green, Michael P. DeJonge, The Bonhoeffer Reader (Fortress Press, 2013)
Wider reading:
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works (Fortress Press, 2000 - )
Older versions of primary texts are available in the library and may still be used if necessary, e.g.:
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Sanctorum communio: a theological study of the sociology of the church, transl. Joachim von Soosten (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, c1998)
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and papers from prison ed. Eberhard Bethge, transl. Reginald Fuller (London: SCM, 1967)
Secondary reading:
- Stephen Plant, Taking Stock of Bonhoeffer Studies in Biblical Interpretation and Ethics (Farnham: Ashgate, 2014)
- Charles Marsh, Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (SPCK, 2014)
- Mark Nation, Bonhoeffer the assassin? : challenging the myth, recovering his call to peacemaking (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013)
- Stanley Hauerwas, Performing the faith: Bonhoeffer and the practice of nonviolence (London: SPCK, 2004)
- John W. de Gruchy, ed., The Cambridge companion to Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999)
- Clifford Green, Bonhoeffer: a theology of sociality (Grand Rapids, Mich; Cambridge: W.B. Eerdmans Pub, 1999)
- William J. Peck, ed., New studies in Bonhoeffer’s ethics (Lewiston, N.Y: E. Mellen Press, c.1987)
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
- The Bonhoeffer Centre is a website that collects articles and information for The International Bonhoeffer Society http://thebonhoeffercenter.org/news
- The Bonhoeffer Studies at Aberdeen website has a small number of highly relevant articles and video clips http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sdhp/divinity-religious-studies/bonhoeffer-studies-at-aberdeen-320.php
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 08/02/2017 |
| Last revision date | 18/04/2019 |
