Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Cheap Grace

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a dude. I’m currently working on an essay on his theological ethics, probably my favourite essay of the year. Here’s a quote on ‘Cheap Grace’:

Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace… Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheap jacks’ wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion thrown away at cut prices… Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer – 1937

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