The paper’s authors undertake the reflection on the stages of the evolution of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s views on the Church and its role as it is played in the lives of its singular members and in the context of the Reformation’s ethical heritage. One can distinguish among three stages of the Bonhoefferian ecclesiology, deepening his vision of the Church. As far as the first one is considered, the Church is defined as the spiritual community of believers, outside of which salvation is impossible. At the second stage the German theologian accentuates the sinfulness of man as a member of the Church. Its recognition constitutes the basis for the transformation that can take place in the human individual due to accepting Christ into oneself. The third stage is stepping into the world of „before-final” matters in the full responsibility for the choices made by particular members of the ecclesial community. The Church, as Bonhoeffer saw it, was supposed to support itself on strong pillars: on freedom, personal responsibility, imitating Christ, neighbourly love, on sacraments and Gospel. In this aspect Bonhoeffer was the faithful continuator of the Reformation program.

Among the so-called lost icons of modern culture (as Rowan Williams once put it) holiness should be perhaps seen with a particular concern. Christianity has always perceived holiness as a universal calling which Christ’s disciples are never to neglect. The Lutheran pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer emerges as a signifcant example of radical discipleship in his consistent and faithful pursuit of holiness. The one who believes in Christ is to follow Him not by withdrawing from this world but rather in the midst of the world as Christ himself lived and to „drink the earthly cup to the dregs like Christ himself”. Consequently, „holiness begins and ends with God and moves toward the needy of the world” (A. Lawrence). John Paul II would often stress that holiness is one of those precious signs of the Spirit’s active presence among all Christ’s followers which should play an ever more growing role in the ecumenical exchange of gifts. When Christians base their hope on the Lord’s prayer and not their own strength, they can trust that „the great ecumenism of holiness will not fail, with God’s help, to bring results” (John Paul II).