Date of Award

5-2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Abstract

The rise of Nazism in Germany in the 1930’s, and a subtle, self-promoting heresy from within the German church imperiled the existence of the German Evangelical Church. Dietrich Bonhoeffer recognized and understood both threats, and believed the latter to be even more dangerous to the church than the threat Nazism itself. The purpose of this paper is to show that Bonhoeffer saw that the church in Germany was failing to answer the internal threat posed to the German Evangelical Church by the heretical teachings that were inherent in the “German Christian Movement”. We will argue that he determined to stem this dangerous tide of error by sound Biblical teaching and Christian living at the new Preachers’ Seminary at Finkenwalde that he was asked to direct.

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