The Pragmatic Roots of Bonhoeffer’s Ethics: A Reappraisal of Bonhoeffer’s Time at Union Theological Seminary, 1930–1931

Any attempt to understand Bonhoeffer’s later ethical writings or his consequential decisions upon returning to Germany remains incomplete if it neglects the explicitly theological and philosophical importance of his experience at Union Theological Seminary in New York City (1930–1931). While at Union, Bonhoeffer fostered a deep fascination with American philosophy, especially pragmatism, and devoted much of his time to understanding its premises and importance for American theology. Though neglected in most accounts of Bonhoeffer’s life and thought, this fascination plays an integral role in Bonhoeffer’s later ethical development.