Sunflower, Stellvertreter, and symbol : vicarious action, forgiveness, and an anthropology of collective-persons in the theologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Charles Williams

Abstract

In Simon Wiesenthal’s The Sunflower, Karl (a Nazi) petitions Simon (a Jew) for vicarious forgiveness. Lying beneath this story of forgiveness is an anthropological puzzle—namely, whether Karl or Simon is to be conceived in more individualistic or collectivistic terms. This thesis will utilize this framing puzzle to argue that between the extremes of radical individualism and radical collectivism lies an anthropology of the collective-person. The thesis begins by arguing that anthropological assumptions about the individual and the community lie behind accounts of vicarious representation. In order to uncover these assumptions and bring clarity to a concept of collective-personal anthropology, we draw together two contemporary theologians who focus on vicarious representative action and forgiveness: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Charles Williams. Bonhoeffer, in his Sanctorum Communio, anchors his account of the Church on Christ’s actions as Stellvertreter—a vicarious representative action that points to certain anthropological parameters (Christological, dialogical-personalist, ecclesial, and Adamic humanity). He later applies these principles to the question of forgiveness in Life Together. Williams, in his project of Romantic Theology, anchors his account of Christianity in a concept called co-inherence—a vicarious representative action that also points to a series of anthropological parameters (trinitarian, embodied, liturgical, and catholic humanity). Williams also writes about the question of forgiveness in the framework of his overall project. Together, Bonhoeffer and Williams’s accounts can dovetail to construct a robust theological anthropology of the collective-person, each shoring up certain weaknesses in the other’s account. The thesis will argue that humans are neither radical individuals, nor radical collectives, but collective- persons—i.e., humanity rooted in the imago Dei Trinitatis, from Whom humanity derives its nature as trinitarian-Christological, embodied-personalist, ecclesial-liturgical, and Adamic- catholic. This fresh, collective-personal anthropology then prompts reflection back on the concepts of ‘individual’ and ‘community.’ The argument closes with a brief re-evaluation of The Sunflower.