Bonhoeffer and the New Monasticism: the First Community

A critical reading and interpretation of key Bonhoeffer texts, including 'Sanctorum Communio', 'Discipleship' and 'Life Together'. Analysis of these texts is integrated with an exploration of Bonhoeffer's personal development, as interpreted by his biographer, Eberhard Bethge. Particular attention is given to the intentional community at Finkenwalde during the years 1935-1937 with a view to assessing Bonhoeffer's monastic convictions. It is these convictions that allow us to compare Finkenwalde with the contemporary movement known as New Monasticism. If we can connect the two, we have argued for the recognition of Bonhoeffer's training experiment as a prototype community of the New Monasticism, and located the beginning of a discrete era - not only in monasticism, but in the history of Christianity.