Hearing Galatians Today in Light of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Theology of Freedom

In the epistle to the Galatians Paul tells the church, “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another” (Gal 5:13). Building upon Paul’s vision, Bonhoeffer develops a theology of “freedom for” based upon the freedom of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Bonhoeffer argues that, “In the language of the bible freedom is not something that people have for themselves but something they have for others.” It is Bonhoeffer’s rich account of “freedom for” that I suggest is of great use to the evangelical church today, and will help us to hear afresh Paul’s call to a free life in his epistle to the Galatians