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Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Dietrich Bonhoeffer Quotes

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Famous Dietrich Bonhoeffer Quotes

“The followers of Christ have been called to peace. . . . And they must not only have peace but make it. And to that end they renounce all violence and tumult. In the cause of Christ nothing is to be gained by such methods . . . . His disciples keep the peace by choosing to endure suffering themselves rather than inflict it on others. They maintain fellowship where others would break it off. They renounce hatred and wrong. In so doing they overcome evil with good, and establish the peace of God in the midst of a world of war and hate.”

WorldHas BeensWarEndsSufferingHateEvilCausesPeaceChristBreakViolenceHatredOvercomingMethodEndureMidstFollowersDiscipleFellowshipRenounceTumult
Author:Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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“Christianity stands or falls with its revolutionary protest against violence, arbitrariness and pride of power and with its plea for the weak. Christians are doing too little to make these points clear rather than too much. Christendom adjusts itself far too easily to the worship of power. Christians should give more offense, shock the world far more, than they are doing now. Christian should take a stronger stand in favor of the weak rather than considering first the possible right of the strong.”

WorldGivingShouldFirstsLittlesChristianFallStrongPeaceChristianityClearToo MuchViolencePrideWorshipWeakStrongerFavorsRevolutionaryShockProtestConsideringOffenseChristendomAgainst Violence
Author:Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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“There remains an experience of incomparable value . . . to see the great events of world history from below; from the perspective of the outcast, the suspects, the maltreated, the powerless, the oppressed, the reviled ---- in short, from the perspective of those who suffer . . . to look with new eyes on matters great and small.”

WorldLooksMatterEyeSufferingValuesPeaceEventsPerspectiveRemainsSuspectsOppressedPowerlessWorld HistoryOutcastIncomparableGreat EventsNew Eyes
Book:Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Writings
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“Must the Christian go around looking for a cross to bear, seeking to suffer? No, insisted Bonhoeffer. Opportunities for bearing crosses will occur along life's way and all that is required is the willingness to act when the time comes. The needs of the neighbor, especially those of the weak and downtrodden, the victimized and the persecuted, the ill and the lonely, will become abundantly evident.”

WayNeedsChristianSufferingOpportunityBearsCrossesLonelyWeakIllSeekingNeighborInevitableWillingnessEvidentPersecutedDowntroddenCrosses To BearBonhoeffer
Author:Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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“But to procrastinate and prevaricate simply because you're afraid of erring, when others - I mean our brethren in Germany - must make infinitely more difficult decisions every day, seems to me almost to run counter to love. To delay or fail to make decisions may be more sinful than to make wrong decisions out of faith and love.”

MayMeanSeemsRunningDifficultDecisionFailingAnd LoveGermanyDelayBrethrenSanctificationProcrastinatingFaith And LoveDifficult DecisionsErringWrong Decision
Author:Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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“After he has been following Christ for a long time, the disciple of Jesus will be asked, "Lacked ye anything?" and he will answer "Nothing, Lord." How could he when he knows that despite hunger and nakedness, persecution and danger, the Lord is always at his side?”

KnowsLongHas BeensJesusSidesChristAnswersLordDangerLong TimeHungerFollowingDespiteDisciplePersecutionSanctificationFollowing Christ
Book:The Cost of Discipleship
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“It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich!”

RichGratitudeGratefulBe GratefulThank YouThankfulnessThankfulBeing ThankfulOrdinary LifeThankful GratitudeGratitude And AppreciationI Am GratefulExpressing GratitudeThanksgiving And GratitudeThanksgiving GratitudeThank You GratitudeGratitude And ThanksThankfulness And GratitudeGreat GratitudeLove And GratitudeBecome RichInspirational GratitudeThankful For YouExpress AppreciationGratitude For HelpWords Of GratitudeLove GratitudeGratitude For LifeGrateful For YouGrateful ThankfulGratitude For HealthGrateful InspirationalGrateful ThanksFeeling GratefulGrateful For LifeGratitude For FriendsBeing Grateful For LifeFamily GratitudeThankful For LifeThanking Friends
Book:Letters Papers from Prison
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“The disciple simply burns his boats and goes ahead. He is called out... The old life is left behind, and completely surrendered. The disciple is dragged out of his relative security into a life of absolute insecurity... out of the realm of the finite...into the realm of infinite possibilities.”

InspirationLife IsFaithLeftBehindsSecurityPossibilityAbsolutesInfiniteChristian InspirationalBoatRealmsInsecurityRelativeDiscipleFiniteLeft BehindInfinite PossibilitiesOld Life
Author:Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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“If there is no element of asceticism in our lives, if we give free rein to the desires of the flesh (taking care of course to keep within the limits of what seems permissible to the world), we shall find it hard to train for the service of Christ. When the flesh is satisfied it is hard to pray with cheerfulness or to devote oneself to a life of service which calls for much self-renunciation.”

IfsWorldGivingSelfHardSeemsCareDesireCoursesChristOur LivesPrayingLimitsElementsTrainOneselfFleshSatisfiedThanksgivingCheerfulnessRenunciationReinsAsceticism
Book:The Cost of Discipleship
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“We do God’s work for our brothers and sisters when we learn to listen to them. So often Christians, especially preachers, think that their only service is always to have to 'offer' something when they are together with other people. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking. Many people seek a sympathetic ear and do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are talking even when they should be listening.”

PeopleThinkingShouldChristianTogetherForgetTalkingGreaterBrotherListeningOffersEarsPreacherBrothers And SistersSympathetic
Book:Life Together: Prayerbook of the Bible
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“Do not worry! Earthly goods deceive the human heart into believing that they give it security and freedom from worry. But in truth, they are what cause anxiety. The heart which clings to goods receives with them the choking burden of worry. Worry collects treasures, and treasures produce more worries. We desire to secure our lives with earthly goods; we want our worrying to make us worry-free, but the truth is the opposite. The chains which bind us to earthly goods, the clutches which hold the goods tight, are themselves worries.”

WantGivingBelieveHumansHeartDesireCausesWorryOur LivesSecurityProduceTruth IsAnxietyOppositesBurdenTreasureSecureChainsGoodsDeceivingHuman HeartChokeClutchSecurity And Freedom
Author:Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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“Who stands firm? Only the one for whom the final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all these, when in faith and sole allegiance to God he is called to obedient and responsible action: the responsible person, whose life will be nothing but an answer to God's question and call.”

PersonsReasonActionAnswersPrinciplesVirtueSacrificeReadyStandardsConscienceResponsibleFinalsFirmSoleAllegianceObedientStand FirmResponsible Person
Book:I Loved this People: Testimonies of Responsibility
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“No one has yet believed in God and the kingdom of heaven, no one has heard about his realm of the resurrected, and not been homesick from that hour, waiting and looking forward joyfully to being released from bodily existenceDeath is hell and night and cold, if it is not transformed by our faith. But that is just what is so marvelous, that we can transform death.”

IfsNightHeavenWaitingHoursHellHeardColdKingdomsRealmsTransformedMarvelousLooking ForwardKingdom Of HeavenHomesick
Author:Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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