To know the real one : Christological promeity in the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2016ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer will be examined for its potential to address the problem of God and world, i.e. to provide a conception of the transcendent God’s immanence in reality faithful to the revelation of God in Christ. Promeity is developed as the description of a pattern of thought in Bonhoeffer’s work originating in his christological commitment to the priority of Christus praesens. The pattern of Bonhoeffer’s usage forms a preliminary definition for promeity not only as a christological axiom, but as a theological method, as the repeated attempt to return our theological language to its origin in the revelation of God in Christ while taking seriously Christ’s freedom to define his own being as given to reality. Promeity as method is refined by comparing and contrasting it with various other interpretive attempts since the 1960’s to develop a Bonhoefferian approach to the God-world problem. The logic of promeity is further developed by considering its radical claim to subordinate all definitions to the priority of the Incarnate God-human. The manifestations of this claim in Bonhoeffer’s 1933 Christology lectures and Ethics manuscript are explored. Finally, the logic of promeity will be further extended and supplemented with additional resources in Bonhoeffer’s work to consider its implications for the problem of God and world in it ontological, epistemological, and ethical aspects.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie verken die potensiaal van Dietrich Bonhoeffer se teologie om die sogenaamde “God-wêreld probleem” aan te spreek. Laasgenoemde verwys na die uitdaging om die transendente God se immanensie in die werklikheid só te konseptualiseer dat dit getrou bly aan die openbaring van God in Christus. Met hierdie doel voor oë word die term, “promeïteit” (promeity, van die Latyn pro me, “vir my”) aangewend om ’n spesifieke denkpatroon in Bonhoeffer se Christologiese werk te beskryf. Die bron van hierdie patroon of logika lê gesetel in die prioriteit wat Bonhoeffer deurlopend aan Christus praesens skenk. ’n Werkende definisie van promeïteit begin in Bonhoeffer se gebruik daarvan vorm aanneem – nie net as ’n Christologiese grondstelling nie – maar as ’n teologiese metodologie; of anders gestel, as die voortdurende poging om ons teologiese taal te herlei na haar bron: die openbaring van God in Christus, terwyl Christus se vryheid om sy eie synswyse as ’n gegewe te definieer deurlopend ernstig opgeneem word. Promeïteit word vêrder as metode verskerp deur dit met verskeie ander interpretatiewe pogings wat sedert die 1960’s tot stand gekom het te vergelyk en te kontrasteer, om sodoende ’n benadering tot die God-wêreld probleem te ontwikkel wat eiesoortig aan Bonhoeffer se teologie beskou kon word. Die logika van promeïteit word hiervandaan verder ontwikkel deur die radikale stelling, naamlik, dat alle definisies ondergeskik aan die vleesgeworde God-mens behoort te wees, van nader te beskou. Verskeie verskynsels van hierdie oortuiging word in Bonhoeffer se Christologie-lesings asook sy Etiek manuskrip verken. Laastens, word die logika van promeïteit verder uitgebrei en toegevoeg deur addisionele bronne in Bonhoeffer se werk op die ontologiese, epistemologiese en etiese aspekte van die God-wêreld probleem in aanraking te bring