Sanctorum Communio: A Theological Study of the Sociology of the Church (Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Vol. 1) [Hardcover]

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Author), Clifford J. Green (Editor), Nancy Lukens (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1998

Sanctorum Communio was Dietrich Bonhoeffer's dissertation, completed in 1927 and first published in 1930. In it he attempts to work out a theology of the person in society, and then, particularly, in the church. Along with enlightening us about his early positions on sin, evil, solidarity, collective spirit, and collective guilt, the volume unfolds a systematic theology of the Spirit at work in the church and what this implies for questions of authority, freedom, ritual, and eschatology.

Here is offered the complete text in translation, annotated by the German and American editors. The historical context is explained and textual commentary is provided in a Foreword and Afterword.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is an enormous venture, Fortress Press, with the blessing of the International Bonhoeffer Society, is publishing a critical, studied, clarifying, and . . . standard-setting, if not normative version. [Dietrich Bonhoeffer] is in the select company of the giants of this century who still challenge new generations even as his writings startle us seniors with their freshness." -- ---Martin Marty, Context

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 340 pages
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishers (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800683013
• ISBN-13: 978-0800683016
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #835,416 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born in Breslau in 1906. The son of a famous German psychiatrist, he studied in Berlin and New York City. He left the safety of America to return to Germany and continue his public repudiation of the Naz*s, which led to his arrest in 1943. Linked to the group of conspirators whose attempted assassination of Hitlerr failed, he was hanged in April 1945.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great, May 8, 2002

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Wilson Pruitt (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sanctorum Communio: A Theological Study of the Sociology of the Church (Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Vol. 1) (Hardcover)

I discovered Bonhoeffer after a short remark by my pastor and suddenly a new world was opened to me.

It was great. I loved his style and this edition with all of the notes and notes on the notes and notes on the editions etc.

The book discusses the importance of the church community and how it is essential for christians and as the author put, "A christian who stays away from the assembly is a contradiction in terms."

I chose to read this book first because i had wanted to read "The Cost of Discipleship" but i wanted to go in order as this handsome series publishes them. I am halfway through Act and Being and hope soon that i can start the book that i set out to read in the first place. However, i know i can say now that i am not disapointed in the journey.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, wonderful edition, February 19, 2011

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K. Schultz (Boston, MA, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sanctorum Communio: A Theological Study of the Sociology of the Church (Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Vol. 1) (Hardcover)

The work that went into producing this edition of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's works is nearly as impressive as Bonhoeffer's work in writing it. This is the fourth edition I have purchased (also Discipleship, Ethics, and Life Together), and the editor's forewords are always thorough, intelligent, and well-written. The copious use of footnotes rather than endnotes - there is nearly as much footnote text as Bonhoeffer text on many of the pages - is perhaps my favorite touch. These are definitive editions for the English-speaking world.
This is Bonhoeffer's PhD dissertation and was written in 1930, so readers of his later works might be surprised that while he ended up a disciple, he started out a theologian. Even so I wish it were required reading for all people looking to blossom in their Christianity, as one cannot read his writings without being shaken up out of old habits and strengthened to do good in the church and in the world.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars To the newcomer: Beware. To the experienced: Enjoy., March 31, 2011

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Justin Hyde - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sanctorum Communio: A Theological Study of the Sociology of the Church (Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Vol. 1) (Hardcover)

Recently I decided to make my way through Bonhoeffer's collected works in order. Sanctorum Communio, Bonhoeffer's doctoral dissertation (completed in 1927; first published in 1930), is volume 1. In this, his first published work, Bonhoeffer lays the rich and complex foundation for much (if not all) of his future work.

Here he artfully outlines and weaves together the Christian concepts of person, community, church, brokenness, and love. We see glimpses in Sanctorum (written for the academy) of what would be further developed in works such as Life Together (written for the church): "The Spirit is only in the church-community, and the church-community is only in the Spirit" (144). And, "`To be in Christ' is synonymous with `to be in the church-community'" (140).

This book, along with the other 15 volumes of Bonhoeffer's works, is meticulously arranged and annotated by its editors. This addition is a helpful tool for serious students of the 20th century martyr, but a potential distraction (and overkill) for those new to his work. I would not recommend this book to novice readers, nor as an entry point into Bonhoeffer's works. Yet, as the editor notes in his introduction, "Understanding the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer requires a thorough understanding of Sanctorum Communio" (1).

To the newcomer: Beware. To the eager and experienced: Enjoy.