Discerning the role of the Church in relation to economic life: a perspective from the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Abstract

This article seeks to contribute to a further understanding of Lutheran economic ethics. Specifically, I seek to develop new insights into the role of the Church in relation to economic life by exploring the work of German Lutheran theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945). I select three different elements in his description of the Church’s role. First, I describe his insistence on the Church as a deliberate socioeconomically inclusive community, and his assertion that “the view from below,” as he calls it, is of great importance. Second, I focus on what he sees as the guardianship role of the Church in relation to economics, presenting his doctrine of the divine mandates. Thirdly, I turn my attention to his view on the role of Christian professionals in economic life. While primarily an historic study, in describing these three elements I will also briefly indicate their relevance for contemporary Lutheran economic ethics.