Ecclesial Visibility as a Byproduct of Discipleship: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Understanding of the Visible Church and Its Ecumenical Implications

Abstract

This article provides an account of Bonhoeffer’s understanding of church visibility, and considers the implications that account has for the contemporary Catholic-Lutheran dialogue. By tracing the roles of divine and human agency within Bonhoeffer’s understanding of church visibility, the article argues that Bonhoeffer understands church visibility as a byproduct of discipleship. Applied to the Catholic-Lutheran dialogue, such an account implies that church visibility ought not be a goal of the dialogue, but rather an inevitable byproduct of discipleship to Christ which takes place as Christians follow after Christ together.