Reading in the Presence of Christ

"Bonhoeffer's writings include a significant amount of biblical interpretation, but his potential contributions in the fields of biblical studies and theological exegesis of Scripture have not been sufficiently explored. This study reassesses some of his key exegetical writings in light of his theology of revelation and bibliology, unfolding the ways in which his reading of the Bible is determined by his theology of Scripture. Accordingly, the guiding question of this study is how Bonhoeffer's bibliology informs his exegesis. Joel Banman analyses Bonhoeffer's early theology of revelation, his 1933 Christology, and his Finkenwalde writings, concluding that the doctrine of revelation is at the core of his theology throughout his writings, and that he construes revelation as the real presence of Christ (Christus praesens). Scripture, in this reading, is the instrument of God's present Word and is thereby to be read as the present-tense address of Jesus Christ. Banman explores how this bibliological position informs a selection of his exegetical writings. This analysis demonstrates that the uniting factor of his biblical interpretation is not methodological but bibliological: he reads Scripture as the living word of the present Christ"--