The Ecclesiology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Reflections on Sanctorum Communio

The Ecclesiology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Reflections on Sanctorum Communio

Andres S. TANG

The thesis of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Sanctorum Communio has been generally understood in terms of Ecclesiology for a long time. However, in recent studies, this is being corrected by a kind of theology of sociality. With this understanding, this paper tries to articulate the following theses implied in Bonhoeffer's Sanctorum Communio. On one hand, Christian theology is ecclesiological. This is because Christian theology is embedded in the church-community. In other words, it is this church-community which makes Christian theology possible. Beyond this there is no other legitimate starting point of doing theology. On the other hand, as the presupposition and subject matter of Christian theology, this church-community is the reality of God's revelation. How does the church-community serve as the reality of God's revelation? This involves an explicit discussion of the assertions in Bonhoeffer's Sanctorum Communio: Christ is the Christ of the church whereas the church is the church of the Christ. It follows that the Spirit is of the church and the church is of the Spirit. In sum, Bonhoeffer is not merely interested in Ecclesiology but rather the ecclesiological nature of Christian theology in his Sanctorum Communio.