The formation of the prisoner-theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer: a close reading of Letters and papers from prison, from April 5,1943 to July 20, 1944

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dc.contributor.advisorDe Gruchy, John W ; Wanamaker, CAen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorAdams, Daniel Claytonen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-08-07T10:59:56Z
dc.date.available2015-08-07T10:59:56Z
dc.date.issued2015en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis thesis seeks to take Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s prison experience seriously as a spiritually and theologically formative journey through liminal displacement. Using the anthropological theory of liminality as a lens for analysis, it offers a close reading of Bonhoeffer’s prison writings, examining the porous nature of the sociocultural and metaphorical boundaries of the prison space as expressed in notes, letters, essays, prayers, poetry, and theological letters. In doing so, the thesis suggests that Bonhoeffer’s dramatic transition into the prison space results in an “inbetween- ness” (Palmer et al. 2009) that suspends the prisoner “betwixt and between” (Turner 1967) light and dark, inside and outside, above and below, sacred and profane space, dislocation and located-ness, suffering and hope, life and death. Chronologically examining distinct phases of liminality – separation, transition, anticipation – the study shows a cumulatively transformative movement in which the prisoner is drawn ever more deeply into the reality of his own life, and an ever increasing relationality with others, with God, and with the suffering of those who inhabit the view from below. It is observed that by taking an active role in navigating liminality, Bonhoeffer encounters multiple turning points at the heart of betwixt space, which break up “default modes of perception,” (Wannenwetsch 2012) transforming the prison cell into a privileged place of insight that ultimately catalyses a transformative new vision of reality and the Christian life. Within liminality the borderlines and boundaries of the prison space remain just porous enough to create the possibility for alternative ways of viewing reality. Through theological, poetic, and polyphonic anticipation, Bonhoeffer risks imaginative resolve by reframing liminality as a Gethsemane-like displacement, stations on the way to freedom, and participation in the polyphonic nature of life. In it is concluded that Bonhoeffer’s prison experience represents a uniquely formative space in which he was drawn into participation in the life, sufferings, and death of Jesus Christ.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationAdams, D. C. (2015). <i>The formation of the prisoner-theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer: a close reading of Letters and papers from prison, from April 5,1943 to July 20, 1944</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Religious Studies. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13649en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationAdams, Daniel Clayton. <i>"The formation of the prisoner-theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer: a close reading of Letters and papers from prison, from April 5,1943 to July 20, 1944."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Religious Studies, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13649en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationAdams, D. 2015. The formation of the prisoner-theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer: a close reading of Letters and papers from prison, from April 5,1943 to July 20, 1944. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Adams, Daniel Clayton AB - This thesis seeks to take Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s prison experience seriously as a spiritually and theologically formative journey through liminal displacement. Using the anthropological theory of liminality as a lens for analysis, it offers a close reading of Bonhoeffer’s prison writings, examining the porous nature of the sociocultural and metaphorical boundaries of the prison space as expressed in notes, letters, essays, prayers, poetry, and theological letters. In doing so, the thesis suggests that Bonhoeffer’s dramatic transition into the prison space results in an “inbetween- ness” (Palmer et al. 2009) that suspends the prisoner “betwixt and between” (Turner 1967) light and dark, inside and outside, above and below, sacred and profane space, dislocation and located-ness, suffering and hope, life and death. Chronologically examining distinct phases of liminality – separation, transition, anticipation – the study shows a cumulatively transformative movement in which the prisoner is drawn ever more deeply into the reality of his own life, and an ever increasing relationality with others, with God, and with the suffering of those who inhabit the view from below. It is observed that by taking an active role in navigating liminality, Bonhoeffer encounters multiple turning points at the heart of betwixt space, which break up “default modes of perception,” (Wannenwetsch 2012) transforming the prison cell into a privileged place of insight that ultimately catalyses a transformative new vision of reality and the Christian life. Within liminality the borderlines and boundaries of the prison space remain just porous enough to create the possibility for alternative ways of viewing reality. Through theological, poetic, and polyphonic anticipation, Bonhoeffer risks imaginative resolve by reframing liminality as a Gethsemane-like displacement, stations on the way to freedom, and participation in the polyphonic nature of life. In it is concluded that Bonhoeffer’s prison experience represents a uniquely formative space in which he was drawn into participation in the life, sufferings, and death of Jesus Christ. DA - 2015 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2015 T1 - The formation of the prisoner-theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer: a close reading of Letters and papers from prison, from April 5,1943 to July 20, 1944 TI - The formation of the prisoner-theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer: a close reading of Letters and papers from prison, from April 5,1943 to July 20, 1944 UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13649 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/13649
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationAdams DC. The formation of the prisoner-theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer: a close reading of Letters and papers from prison, from April 5,1943 to July 20, 1944. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Religious Studies, 2015 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13649en_ZA
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Religious Studiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherReligious Studiesen_ZA
dc.titleThe formation of the prisoner-theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer: a close reading of Letters and papers from prison, from April 5,1943 to July 20, 1944en_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMAen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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