Act and Being

work by Bonhoeffer

Also known as: “Akt und Sein”

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Last updated

July 23, 2026

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Act and Being (Akt und Sein) is a theological work that explores the influence of transcendental philosophy and ontology on Protestant and Catholic theologies. Published in 1931, the book examines how concepts of knowledge and being, particularly from Kantian and post-Kantian thought, shaped theological understanding. Bonhoeffer, a German Protestant theologian, was known for his support of ecumenism and his views on Christianity's role in a secular world. His involvement in a plot against Adolf Hitler led to his execution, but his writings, especially Letters and Papers from Prison, continue to be profoundly influential.1

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Early training
…in Akt und Sein (1931; Act and Being), in which he traces the influence of transcendental philosophy and ontology—as well as Kantian and post-Kantian theories of knowledge and of being—on Protestant and Catholic theologies.
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…in Akt und Sein (1931; Act and Being), in which he traces the influence of transcendental philosophy and ontology—as well as Kantian and post-Kantian theories of knowledge and of being—on Protestant and Catholic theologies.
Read More