We often remember Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a theologian, teacher, and leader in the Confessing Church—but what happens when we pay attention to him as a preacher? In this episode, we talk with Dr. Mike Pasquarello about Bonhoeffer’s theological approach to preaching, the shape of a “preaching life,” and what it means to proclaim Christ not as technique or advice, but as the living Word. Part one of a two-part conversation.

In this episode, hosts David Luy and Maurice Lee return with Dr. Michael Mawson to deepen the discussion on Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s understanding of the church and pastoral ministry. Building on themes from Sanctorum Communio and Life Together, they explore Bonhoeffer’s dialectical view of the church as both flawed and faithful, fractured yet held together in Christ.

Dr. Mawson reflects on Bonhoeffer’s theology of hope, his realism about church life, and how his ecclesiology equips pastors to remain grounded—even amid failure, tension, and the scandal of community. It’s a wide-ranging conversation on the mystery of Christ’s presence in the church, and what that means for ministry today.

Referenced in this episode: The Oxford Handbook of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, edited by Dr. Michael Mawson.

In this episode, hosts David Luy and Maurice Lee sit down with Dr. Michael Mawson to explore Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s striking vision of the church. Drawing from Bonhoeffer’s early work Sanctorum Communio, they unpack how the church can be both a flawed human community and the place where Christ is truly present. From ecclesiology in the 1920s to the tension between sociological and theological claims, this first part sets the stage for a deep dive into one of Bonhoeffer’s most enduring theological commitments.