Why did Dietrich Bonhoeffer become a saint?

Answer 1

Joncey's answer, below, falls short. Dietrich Bonhoeffer has not been canonized or recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. The Nazi regime and German RC came to an agreement (Reichskonkordat) that was recognized by the Pope in 1933. However, despite the konkordat, RCs, the RC church and priests were persecuted.

Hitler co-op'd the Protestant German church, creating a new national church and appointing a leader that was a fanatical Nazi. The Confessing Church was organized by major German theologians and leaders such as Karl Barth and Martin Niemoeller, but opposed the Nazi's control of the church more as oppression of the church by the state than oppression of Jews and Christians by the state.

Bonhoeffer was an early and persistent voice against the Nazis and their injustices. Bonhoeffer was jailed for participating in an effort to assassinate Hitler, and was executed by the Nazis in Feb. 1945. While he was a staunch opponent, he was one of a number of clergy and theologians who stood against the regime, and could not be called it's 'greatest foe'.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer would not then, not does he now qualify as a 'saint' because he opposed Hitler. The RC process -canonization- to be named a saint has steps which are detailed, rigorous, and rarely is a step or investigation waived. While Bonhoeffer is considered a martyr by many Christians for his stand against the Nazis, he is not recognized in any way by the RC church as a saint, nor, as a Protestant, is he likely to be.

Joncey's answer:<>

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I'm not sure that the above information is accurate. The "Confessing Church" was Protestant and did not include "Catholic denominations" and with all respect to Bonhoeffer I doubt if many people regard him as "he was the greatest foe Hitler faced2.

Bonheoffer has not in any formal sense been made a saint.

Answer 2

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Christian pastor and theologian, was famous for contributing to a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler and resisting Germany's Nazi regime in other ways. He was then assasinated in a concentration camp in 1944.