Table Of Content

Dietrich Bonhoeffer The Cost of Discipleship Revised Edition The Writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer already published in English TEMPTATION LEITERS AND PAPERS FROM PRISON ETHICS CREATION AND FALL The Cost of Discipleship REVISED AND UN ABRIDGED EDITION CONTAINING MATERIAL NOT PREVIOUSLY TRANSLATED Dietrich Bonhoeffer MACMILLAN PUBLISHING CO., INC. NEW YORK Translated from the German NACHFOLGE first published 1937 by Chr. Kaiser Verlag Miinchcn by R. H. Fuller, with some revision by Irmgard Booth. (First edition published 1949) Second edition© SCM Press Ltd 1959 Reprinted October 1960 Reprinted November 1960 Reprinted April 1961 First Macmillan Paperbacks Edition 1963 Twenty-first Printing 1979 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or me chanical, including photocopying, record ing or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher. Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 866 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022 Printed in the United States of America Contents Foreword by Bishop G. K. A. Bell 7 Memoir by G. Leibholz 11 INTRODUCTION 37 I GRACE AND DISCIPLESHIP 43 1 Costly Grace 45 2 The Call to Discipleship 61 3 Single-minded Obedience 87 4 Discipleship and the Cross 95 5 Discipleship and the Individual 105 II THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT 115 Matthew 5: Of the "Extraordinariness" of the Christian Life 6 The Beatitudes 117 7 The Visible Community 129 8 The Righteousness of Christ 135 9 The Brother 142 10 Woman 147 11 Truthfulness 151 5 6 CONTENTS 12 Revenge 156 13 The Enemy-the "Extraordinary" 162 Matthew 6: Of the Hidden Character of the Christian Life 14 The Hidden Righteousness 172 15 The Hiddenness of Prayer 180 16 The Hiddenness of the Devout Life 188 17 The Simplicity of the Carefree Life 192 Matthew 7: The Separation of the Disciple Community 18 The Disciple and Unbelievers 202 19 The Great Divide 210 20 The Conclusion 218 III THE MESSENGERS 221 21 The Harvest 223 22 The Apostles 226 23 The Work 228 24 The Suffering of the Messengers 236 25 The Decision 241 26 The Fruit 245 IV THE CHURCH OF TESUS CHRIST AND THE LIFE OF DISCIPLESHIP 247 27 Preliminary Questions 249 28 Baptism 254 29 The Body of Christ 263 30. The Visible Community 277 31 The Saints 305 32 The Image of Christ 337 Index of Sub;ects 345 Index of Biblical References 348 Foreword By G. K. A. Bell, late Bishop of Chichester "WHEN CmusT calls a man," says Dietrich Bonhoeffer, "he bids him come and die." There are different kinds of dying, it is true; but the essence of discipleship is contained in those words. And this marvellous book is a commentary on the cost. Dietrich himself was a martyr many times before he died. He was one of the first as well as one of the bravest wit nesses against idolatry. He understood what he chose, when he chose resistance. I knew him in London in the early days of the evil regime: and from him, more than from any other German, I learned the true char acter of the conflict, in an intimate friendship. I have no doubt that he did fine work with his German con gregation: but he taught many besides his fellow countrymen while a pastor in England. He was crystal clear in his convictions; and young as he was, and humble-minded as he was, he saw the truth, and spoke it with a complete absence of fear. In Stockholm when he came so unexpectedly to see me in 1942, as an emissary from the Opposition, he was exactly the same, completely candid, completely regardless of 7 8 FOREWORD personal safety, while deeply moved by the shame of the country he loved. Wherever he went, with whom ever he was, with students, with those of his own age, or with his elders, he was undaunted, detached from himself, devoted to his friends, to his home, to his country as God meant it to be, to his Church, to his Master. I am very glad that the full text of Nachfolge appears in this latest edition of The Cost of Disciple ship. The book will show men by what fire this young German churchman was possessed. It will also show the cost at which discipleship, in all nations, is to be won. G.K.A.BELL January 1958 Bp.