Bonhoeffer, Lutheran Theological Formation, and Learning at the Margins

Writing about the “changing landscape of theological education” is nothing new; in fact, it has constantly been changing through various stages over the past millennia. While his context was different, Dietrich Bonhoeffer also experienced a highly structured system on one side and rapid (and deadly) change on the other. His book Life Together details his experiment in intentional communal theological education, and his writings on theology and spiritual care demonstrate what is at stake for the Church in contemporary society, especially among those at the margins. This paper traces Bonhoeffer’s theological and pedagogical insights to offer proposals for the future of theological education, focusing on embracing innovation with humility, prioritizing relational pedagogy, engaging contextually and prophetically, and fostering lifelong learning and vocational discernment.