Prayer and Political Theology in Martin Luther and Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Abstract

A separation between ‘spiritual goods’ and ‘secular goods’ is common in modernity. Despite the best of intentions from scholars, our categories of research often limit academic studies. This thesis studies prayer and political theology in Martin Luther and Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a way of examining how theology can hold these two aspects of thought together.

In contrast to Max Weber’s notion of ‘disenchantment,’ both Luther and Bonhoeffer build theologies that rely on the active Christian participation in society as worshippers and pray-ers. This is not instead of political engagement, but part of their lived theology in the world. For Luther this is the unity of the worldly (weltlich) and spiritual (geistlich) whereas for Bonhoeffer it forms part of living in worldliness. The lived experience of Luther and Bonhoeffer forms a crucial part of the study for the experience of Reformation and the spiritual reality of resistance. In studying the topics of prayer and political theology together it becomes clear that both Luther and Bonhoeffer did not separate their thinking in a way recognisable to a secular culture. Instead their actions are intwined with their theological writings.

A result of the study is a sharper reading of each subject’s overall theology. I demonstrate how Luther’s theology operates in layers and how Bonhoeffer brings out his central interests of Christology and ecclesiology. Both are relevant to wider studies in Luther and Bonhoeffer.