--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We could summarize all of this background…" description: "\"“We could summarize all of this background to Bonhoeffer’s christology in one sentence, albeit a complex one: The cross was a stumbling block to the Ro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/stephen-j-nichols-29202_quote_we-could-summarize-all-of-this-backgroun_998800.jpg" --- # We could summarize all of this background to Bonhoeffer’s… ![“We could summarize all of this background to Bonhoeffer’s christology in one sentence, albeit a complex one: The cross was a stumbling block to the Romans; the cross was a stumbling block to the Nazis; the cross was a stumbling block to moderns; and—unless we are humbled and brought low beneath…” quote by Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/stephen-j-nichols-29202_quote_we-could-summarize-all-of-this-backgroun_998800.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/stephen-j-nichols-29202_quote_we-could-summarize-all-of-this-backgroun_998800.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/stephen-j-nichols-29202_quote_we-could-summarize-all-of-this-backgroun_998800.jpg) > ““We could summarize all of this background to Bonhoeffer’s christology in one sentence, albeit a complex one: The cross was a stumbling block to the Romans; the cross was a stumbling block to the Nazis; the cross was a stumbling block to moderns; and—unless we are humbled and brought low beneath the cross to see its power and beauty—the cross can be a stumbling block to us.”” [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The cross can be a barrier for many groups unless humility reveals its transformative power. **In simple terms:** The cross often hinders people unless they approach it humbly. Key Takeaway Approach the cross with humility to discover its beauty. Themes faith humility barriers Mood contemplative inspirational Type theological motivational When to use this quote - church sermons - Bible study groups - personal meditation - interfaith dialogues Key Concepts theology spiritual growth cultural conflict Questions to Reflect On - What does humility mean in your spiritual journey? - How can you help others see the cross beyond a stumbling block? A Different Perspective Some may reject the cross outright, limiting its impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Stumbling block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stumbling-block/) ## Related quotes > [“We are also brought into the church-community as a result of Christ’s death on the cross—a community of the forgiven, who should be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/we-are-also-brought-into-the-church-community-as-a-result-of-christ-s/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“I offer this succinct synopsis of Bonhoeffer on the Christian life: We live in love by grace as the church-community—in, through, and toward Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/i-offer-this-succinct-synopsis-of-bonhoeffer-on-the-christian-life-we/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“Everything in the prior chapters has been leading us up to this point. Our look at his christology (chap. 2) and ecclesiology (chap. 3) laid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/everything-in-the-prior-chapters-has-been-leading-us-up-to-this-point/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“Leaning on Augustine’s insight, Bonhoeffer sees the sanctorum communio as “the community of loving persons who, touched by God’s Spirit, radiate love and grace.”17”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/leaning-on-augustine-s-insight-bonhoeffer-sees-the-sanctorum-communio/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“The ethics of the Sermon on the Mount are nothing less than extraordinary. To look at them as something that can be fulfilled within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/the-ethics-of-the-sermon-on-the-mount-are-nothing-less-than/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“This poem, “Stations on the Road to Freedom,” echoes the Christ-centered or christotelic emphasis we have come to see in so much of Bonhoeffer’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/this-poem-stations-on-the-road-to-freedom-echoes-the-christ-centered/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“Bonhoeffer and Luther draw on Christ’s paradox of gaining one’s life by losing it. So we come to the ultimate paradox: by service—and ultimately,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/bonhoeffer-and-luther-draw-on-christ-s-paradox-of-gaining-one-s-life/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“The God-man who is humiliated is the stumbling block to the pious human being and to the human being, period.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/the-god-man-who-is-humiliated-is-the-stumbling-block-to-the-pious/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer, before taking off his prison garb, kneeling on the floor praying fervently to his God. I was most deeply moved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/i-saw-pastor-bonhoeffer-before-taking-off-his-prison-garb-kneeling-on/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The rich world of his ancestors set the standards for Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s own life. It gave him a certainty of judgment and manner that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/the-rich-world-of-his-ancestors-set-the-standards-for-dietrich/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [If your opponent has a conscience, then follow Gandhi and nonviolence. But if your enemy has no conscience like Hitler, then follow Bonhoeffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/if-your-opponent-has-a-conscience-then-follow-gandhi-and-nonviolence/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“If you board the wrong train it is no use running along the corridor in the opposite direction. —DIETRICH BONHOEFFER”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/if-you-board-the-wrong-train-it-is-no-use-running-along-the-corridor/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [“Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in the first chapter of his wonderful book Life Together, has a discussion of how Christians never meet one-on-one; they always meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/dietrich-bonhoeffer-in-the-first-chapter-of-his-wonderful-book-life/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“(Bonhoeffer's) change was not an ungainly, embarrassing leap from which he would have to retreat slightly when he gained more maturity and perspective. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/bonhoeffer-s-change-was-not-an-ungainly-embarrassing-leap-from-which/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [“Bonhoeffer categorically refuses to demythologize the resurrection ... he finally walked to his execution, saying that for him it was the beginning of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bonhoeffer-categorically-refuses-to-demythologize-the-resurrection-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Stephen J. Nichols > [“We are also brought into the church-community as a result of Christ’s death on the cross—a community of the forgiven, who should be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/we-are-also-brought-into-the-church-community-as-a-result-of-christ-s/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“Bonhoeffer and Luther draw on Christ’s paradox of gaining one’s life by losing it. So we come to the ultimate paradox: by service—and ultimately,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/bonhoeffer-and-luther-draw-on-christ-s-paradox-of-gaining-one-s-life/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“It would be safe to say that by the nineteenth century, pietism had long since dislodged Puritanism as the dominant force in American religious life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/it-would-be-safe-to-say-that-by-the-nineteenth-century-pietism-had/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“The God-man who is humiliated is the stumbling block to the pious human being and to the human being, period.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/the-god-man-who-is-humiliated-is-the-stumbling-block-to-the-pious/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“The ethics of the Sermon on the Mount are nothing less than extraordinary. To look at them as something that can be fulfilled within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/the-ethics-of-the-sermon-on-the-mount-are-nothing-less-than/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“Leaning on Augustine’s insight, Bonhoeffer sees the sanctorum communio as “the community of loving persons who, touched by God’s Spirit, radiate love and grace.”17”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/leaning-on-augustine-s-insight-bonhoeffer-sees-the-sanctorum-communio/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“The church is the real thing when it is not consumed with the assertion of power in culture, but it is driven by service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/the-church-is-the-real-thing-when-it-is-not-consumed-with-the/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“David McCullough has said, “We are shaped by those we never met.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/david-mccullough-has-said-we-are-shaped-by-those-we-never-met/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“A congregation that does not pray for the ministry of its pastor,” Bonhoeffer warns, “is no longer a congregation.”11 He then adds, “A pastor who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/a-congregation-that-does-not-pray-for-the-ministry-of-its-pastor/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“Gratitude is equally underrated and under-practiced. It too requires humility to say “thank you.” Saying “thank you” means one is dependent on the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/gratitude-is-equally-underrated-and-under-practiced-it-too-requires/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“His ecclesiology, though, is never an independent topic. It always flows from and back to Christ and his christology. Neither is Bonhoeffer content with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/his-ecclesiology-though-is-never-an-independent-topic-it-always-flows/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“We seem especially susceptible to this pitting of spirituality against theology in American evangelical contexts. Perhaps we can chalk this up to the influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/we-seem-especially-susceptible-to-this-pitting-of-spirituality/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“If this earth was good enough for the man Jesus Christ, if such a man as Jesus lived, then, and only then, life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/if-this-earth-was-good-enough-for-the-man-jesus-christ-if-such-a-man/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“Everything in the prior chapters has been leading us up to this point. Our look at his christology (chap. 2) and ecclesiology (chap. 3) laid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/everything-in-the-prior-chapters-has-been-leading-us-up-to-this-point/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“I offer this succinct synopsis of Bonhoeffer on the Christian life: We live in love by grace as the church-community—in, through, and toward Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/i-offer-this-succinct-synopsis-of-bonhoeffer-on-the-christian-life-we/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) [Explore all 18 Stephen J. Nichols quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) ## More Bonhoeffer quotes > [“We are also brought into the church-community as a result of Christ’s death on the cross—a community of the forgiven, who should be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/we-are-also-brought-into-the-church-community-as-a-result-of-christ-s/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [“(Bonhoeffer's) change was not an ungainly, embarrassing leap from which he would have to retreat slightly when he gained more maturity and perspective. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/bonhoeffer-s-change-was-not-an-ungainly-embarrassing-leap-from-which/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [“Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in the first chapter of his wonderful book Life Together, has a discussion of how Christians never meet one-on-one; they always meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/dietrich-bonhoeffer-in-the-first-chapter-of-his-wonderful-book-life/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“If you board the wrong train it is no use running along the corridor in the opposite direction. —DIETRICH BONHOEFFER”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/if-you-board-the-wrong-train-it-is-no-use-running-along-the-corridor/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [If your opponent has a conscience, then follow Gandhi and nonviolence. But if your enemy has no conscience like Hitler, then follow Bonhoeffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/if-your-opponent-has-a-conscience-then-follow-gandhi-and-nonviolence/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“Bonhoeffer and Luther draw on Christ’s paradox of gaining one’s life by losing it. So we come to the ultimate paradox: by service—and ultimately,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-nichols/bonhoeffer-and-luther-draw-on-christ-s-paradox-of-gaining-one-s-life/) [Stephen J. Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-nichols/) > [I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer, before taking off his prison garb, kneeling on the floor praying fervently to his God. I was most deeply moved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/i-saw-pastor-bonhoeffer-before-taking-off-his-prison-garb-kneeling-on/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“Bonhoeffer categorically refuses to demythologize the resurrection ... he finally walked to his execution, saying that for him it was the beginning of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bonhoeffer-categorically-refuses-to-demythologize-the-resurrection-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The rich world of his ancestors set the standards for Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s own life. It gave him a certainty of judgment and manner that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/the-rich-world-of-his-ancestors-set-the-standards-for-dietrich/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [“Jeremiah was not eager to become a prophet of God. When the call came to him all of a sudden, he shrank back, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxes/jeremiah-was-not-eager-to-become-a-prophet-of-god-when-the-call-came/) Eric Metaxes > [. A god who let us prove his existence would be an idol. Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraha-lincon/a-god-who-let-us-prove-his-existence-would-be-an-idol-dietrich/) Abraha Lincon > [“Bonhoeffer's experiences with African American community underscored an idea that was developing in his mind: the only real piety and power that he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/bonhoeffer-s-experiences-with-african-american-community-underscored/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [ “His soul really shone in the dark desperation of our prison . . . \[Bonhoeffer\] had always been afraid that he would not be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/payne-best/his-soul-really-shone-in-the-dark-desperation-of-our-prison/) Payne Best > [“Grace is costly because it calls us through our person to the person of Jesus Christ. And when we follow the person of Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-root/grace-is-costly-because-it-calls-us-through-our-person-to-the-person/) [Andrew Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-root/) > [The family trees of Karl and Paula Bonhoeffer are everywhere so laden with figures of accomplishment that one might expect future generations to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/the-family-trees-of-karl-and-paula-bonhoeffer-are-everywhere-so-laden/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) Browse all 54 Bonhoeffer quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We could summarize all of this background to Bonhoeffer’s christology in one sentence, albeit a complex one: The cross was a stumbling block to the Romans; the cross was a stumbling block to the Nazis; the cross was a stumbling block to moderns; and—unless we are humbled and brought low beneath the cross to see its power and beauty—the cross can be a stumbling block to us.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen J. 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