1 - 2001

Overcoming Violence

In the Bonhoeffer Tradition

Thoughts on the launching of the Decade to Overcome Violence

by Wolfgang Huber

The launching of the ecumenical Decade in Berlin on 4 February was an occasion for leaders in the German churches to reflect on the meaning of overcoming violence in the context of German history and the German experience. One such leader was the Bishop of the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg.

In many countries the name of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is known and respected. He was one of the conspirators against Hitler. On 9 April 1945 he laid down his life for this cause. Against his own will, he thus became a Christian martyr. There was no doubt about his motive: he wanted to bring an end to the murderous violence of the regime. In order to do so, he was prepared to become guilty of wrongdoing himself. For to him, any violence against another person was wrong - even if that persons name was Adolf Hitler.

If Dietrich Bonhoeffer were still living, he would be 95 years old on 4 February of this year. Many people will be thinking of him. For on that day an initiative will be launched which to a large extent breathes the spirit of Bonhoeffer.

Christendom will be committing itself to overcome violence. The World Council of Churches, the organisation that unites the largest number of Christian churches world-wide, is the sponsor of this initiative. It will be launched in Berlin, for a period of ten years. Those who want to promote peace and reduce violence will need staying power.

"Blessed are the peacemakers." According to his own account, it was through his encounter with the Sermon on the Mount that Bonhoeffer really first became a Christian. "There are, however, some things which are worth standing up for, without any compromising," he wrote to his older brother in 1935. "It seems to me that peace and social justice, or Christ actually, is such a thing." Bonhoeffer was looking for a way to peace, beyond the security which is based on force. He was fascinated by Gandhis way of non-violence; it amazed him that a Hindu drew more radical conclusions from the message of the Sermon on the Mount than did most Christians. But Bonhoeffers plan to visit Gandhi in India was never fulfilled. The times were against it. And even with regard to violence, Bonhoeffer had to change his thinking.

The National Socialist tyranny could only be ended if someone stayed the tyrants hand. In such a situation, to follow only the principle of non-violence and, for the sake of a clear conscience, not to jam the spokes of the wheel, was for Bonhoeffer to be guilty of wrongdoing.

It is not easy to stem the tide of violence, or to reduce it. But those who expose themselves to it in its concrete forms - in families, on the street, against strangers or in international conflicts - know that we cannot slacken our efforts.

On the day of Dietrich Bonhoeffers 95th birthday, a new initiative is launched to overcome violence. I find that fitting.

Dr. Wolfgang Huber, Bishop of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg, is also editor of the Protestant magazine "chrismon" which is published in Hamburg. This article appeared under the title "Overcoming Violence" in the issue for 1/2001.