Anthropology

Bonhoeffer’s theological anthropology begins not with the isolated individual, nor with an understanding of ‘human being’ in general, but with the call of the other that summons the human being into free responsibility. It also begins in the middle of the human story—with created, fallen, and redeemed humanity receiving its identity through the encounter with Christ. In this chapter I connect the anthropological themes of Bonhoeffer’s poetry from prison with his wider theological project. I indicate how Bonhoeffer’s anthropology connects him to key ongoing debates in philosophy and theology, and opens up critical conversations with Bonhoeffer around gender and around human uniqueness.