Lost in Translation: What Did Bonhoeffer Mean by 'Coming of Age'?

Abstract

The writings of few twentieth-century theologians have been as widely read as those of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, however Peter Potter argues that misinterpretation of certain key phrases in English translations of his work has led to serious confusion about aspects of his thought. He looks in particular at the phrase 'a world come of age', examining in detail how a deeper understanding of Bonhoeffer's intention has so much more to say to us today than has often been apparent in studies of his work.