The cost of discipleship Learning objective: To know what is meant by cheap grace and costly grace; To understand how Bonhoeffer linked discipleship with the suffering of Jesus. Key Words Solidarity Costly grace Passion

What is grace?

What is the difference between what Bonhoeffer calls ‘cheap grace’ and ‘costly grace’? Quote bottom of p.420 blue book

Mark 8.34-35 What does this passage mean? Bonhoeffer emphasised the message in this passage – suffering and sacrifice are inherent to discipleship of Jesus, because they must pick up his cross and follow the path of suffering that he walked. Many Christians emphasise that the message of Christianity is a joyful and happy message – why might Bonhoeffer think that is not always right?

How might this thinking on suffering have applied to Bonhoeffer at the time he was alive? He had to experience the suffering his people were enduring instead of living in safety He went back to Germany from America to share in the time of suffering with the German people and join in with the Resistance. He risked being put in prison and, in the end, he was He wanted to be there for others and this is what he thought the Church should do Do you think it made a difference that Bonhoeffer left the safety of America to live with the German people in their time of suffering? Could he have expressed solidarity from afar?

Does Bonhoeffer put too much emphasis on suffering? Consider – Is it always possible, in all societies, to live a Christian life according to Bonhoeffer’s ideas? Is Christian discipleship always shown through sharing in others’ suffering, or could it be shown in other ways? Does Bonhoeffer emphasise suffering at the expense of the Good News of Christianity – the hope of life after death and the defeat of evil and forgiveness through Jesus’ death and resurrection?

Page 426 blue book Complete the task at the bottom of the page

Homework Read blue book p.420-425 Add to your notes form this lesson