Why did Dietrich Bonhoeffer think Christianity should not rely on gaps in human knowledge?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer argued that Christianity should not rely on gaps in human knowledge because he believed humanity had reached a state of maturity in a "world come of age."1

As Western society increasingly demonstrated the ability to solve problems without invoking God as a "hypothesis," Bonhoeffer concluded that using human weakness or intellectual voids as a basis for apologetics was becoming obsolete. He asserted that the church should instead affirm this human maturity rather than clinging to the "religious premise" of otherworldliness.1

By moving away from a reliance on these gaps, Bonhoeffer believed the church could strip away "religion" in the sense of preoccupation with personal salvation. This shift would free Christianity to embrace its authentic "this-worldliness," allowing Christians to follow the example of Jesus—"the man for others"—by sharing in God’s sufferings within the world.1