I am resonating deeply with Bonhoeffer these days. Here is another of his theses against the “Aryan Paragraph” from 1933.

The German Christians say: For the sake of the patriotic sentiments of German church people, a leader in the church must be Aryan.&10;Michael P. DeJonge, Clifford J. Green&10;The Bonhoeffer Reader&10;#kindlequotesWe answer: Church people must learn to pay attention not to the person of the pastor but rather to the pastor's proclamation. "What does it matter?&10;Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way.." [Phil. 1: 18). If Paul, a Jew, had not proclaimed Christ to the heathen world, without worrying about any patriotic sentiment, there would never have been a German church.&10;Michael P. DeJonge, Clifford J. Green&10;The Bonhoeffer Reader&10;#kindlequotesThis demand for the gospel to be preached by Aryans is a typical demand of those who are weak in the faith, so they want to set up legal restrictions in matters where, in truth, only faith and the Word of God has a say. This demand from the weaker members of the congregation might possibly be considered in exceptional individual cases, for pastoral reasons, to avoid giving serious offense. But in each such case the most earnest thought should be given to whether, for the sake of what church is about, the congregation should be asked to tolerate an offense to its sensibilities. It is totally impossible, however, to allow the demands of the weak in the faith to rule the church, because that means turning the freedom of the gospel into its opposite, a law.&10;Michael P. DeJonge, Clifford J. Green&10;The Bonhoeffer Reader&10;#kindlequotes

Photos (551) Microposts (1997)