Identity, Individuality and Community: Belief and Belonging in the Theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Christian fellowship and individual spiritual formation are matters of fundamental concern, as churches globally confront challenges of secularisation, political turmoil and ecclesial fragmentation amidst their own on-going divisions. Bonhoeffer's distinctive theology of the relationship between Christian individuals and the community of the Church addresses such modern concerns. This thesis will closely explore Bonhoeffer's influential understanding of the nature of Christian community, a vision forged during early years of international ecumenicalism and culminating in his provocative later reflections of radically worldy 'religionless Christianity'. The research will also yield new crucial perspectives on Bonhoeffer's lifework as an emodimentof his theology.