Taking Hold of the Real

Barry Harvey is Professor of Theology in the Honors College and the Graduate Program in Religion at Baylor University. His other books include Politics of the Theological, Another City, and Can These Bones Live? He has served on the Board of the International Bonhoeffer Society, English Language Section, and the Editorial Board of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works.

• Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Introduction: The Great Wager1 A Sacramental This-Worldliness 2 The Ironic Myth of a World Come of Age 3 The Future of a Technological Illusion 4 The End(s) of "Religion"5 Culture, or Accounting for the Merely Different 6 A Social Economy of Whiteness 7 Reading the New in Light of the Old 8 Polyphonic Worldliness 9 A Tale of Two PastorsBibliography Scripture Index Index of Names and Subjects Index of Greek Terms

"Harvey's fine study offers a mature and highly responsible interpretation of the central elements of Bonhoeffer's theology in creative conversation with leading theologians and theorists of our day. ... Here is a work from which we can learn what ought never to have been forgotten: that following where Christ leads drives Christians ever more profoundly into the realities of the world for its sake."- Philip G. Ziegler, Senior Lecturer in Systematic Theology, School of Divinity, History and Philosophy, King's College, University of Aberdeen"More than just another exposition of Bonhoeffer's thought or examination of his life, this book is a creative appropriation of Bonhoeffer for our times. Harvey uses his sensitive and thorough understanding of Bonhoeffer to show the irony of modernity's claim to have reached maturity, and to guide Christians toward the kind of worldliness necessary to deal with the worldliness of a secular age. This book is a fascinating read."- William T. Cavanaugh, Director, Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology, DePaul University"In this elegantly written book, Harvey indeed shows us why Bonhoeffer's theology remains pivotal for our own time, but he does much more. By establishing the participatory and sacramental nature of Bonhoeffer's theology, Harvey succeeds in showing how still-debated notions like 'this-worldliness' and 'religionless Christianity' arise from Bonhoeffer's overall eschatological framework. Everyone interested in Bonhoeffer, including experts, needs to read this book!"- Jens Zimmerman, Professor in the Humanities and Canada Research Chair for Religion, Culture and Interpretation"Harvey's text deserves commendation. His attention to details, command of the primary and secondary literature, crafted prose, and faithful yet pioneering handling of Bonhoeffer's theology produce a book that is as enjoyable as it is thought provoking. "- Javier A. Garcia, Modern Theology, Vol. 33, Issue 2, April 2017"Harvey excels not only in his understanding and explanation of the Bonhoefferian motifs of 'worldliness' and a 'world come of age', but also in his ability to think with Bonhoeffer in an effort to understand how Christians can and should live in a world which is dominated by various social technologies which seek to divide and alienate us."- Brandin Francabandera, University of Aberdeen, The Expository Times, Vol 128, No 9, June 2017"[Taking Hold of the Real] is at once a responsible study of Bonhoeffer and an intriguing work of theology in its own right. ... Harvey's lifelong admiration for Bonhoeffer comes through on almost every page of this engaging book. Although he does not shy away from critiquing Bonhoeffer when he sees fit, his is a thoroughly generous reading. ... [T]his book is highly recommended."- Joel Banman, Reviews in Religion and Theology, Volume 24, Issue 3, July 2017"Harvey's book is a model of how to make use of one important way of reading classic theological texts. What makes it so good is the rare combination of critical (i.e. textual and contextual) expertise and creative, contemporary theological questioning and provocation. There are plenty of books doing one or the other -- few do both."- Stephen J. Plant, Theology 120(4), July-August 2017