Sociology of Religion: Worksheet--"Bonhoeffer"

1. What was Bonhoeffer's experience during his time as a teaching fellow at Union Theological Seminary? Who and what influenced him at that time?

2. What was the stance of the majority of Christian churches in Germany toward the rise of Hitler?

3. What was the theme of Bonhoeffer's radio broadcast, and why was it cut off? How old was Bonhoeffer at the time?

4. What was the message of Bonhoeffer's message on "The Church and the Jewish Question"

5. What was the pastor's emergency league and what was Bonhoeffer's attitude? What happened to Martin Niemuller after his sermon, "God is My Fuhrer."

6. What was the "confessing church" and what was Bonhoeffer's role in it?

7. How does Bonhoeffer's opposition eventually escalate into an effort to assassinate Hitler?

Sociology of Religion: Groups--"Bonhoeffer"

1. How would you evaluate the role of the Christian church in Germany in relation to Hitler's rise and extermination of the Jews (and others) in the concentration camps?

2. Why do you suppose that Christian churches (and other religions too, for that matter)almost always rally to the "patriotic" side when it comes to war?

3. I suspect we all tend to admire someone like Bonhoeffer, who opposed Hitler. What if it were someone like the Catholic priest Philip Berrigan who vehemently opposed U.S. policies during the Vietnam War, under Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon? (Read the Wikipedia article about Philip Berigan)

4. What about religious leaders who oppose all war (in the United States, many members of the Fellowship of Reconciliation went to prison during World War II, rather than go into the military)?