Continuing with the theme of Bonhoeffer---what an excellent topic for today, where does authority come from? Listen to Bonhoeffer (p. 141).

The difference between real leadership an the false leadership of the Leader was this: real leadership derived its authority from God, the source of all goodness. Thus parents have a legitimate authority because they are submitted to the legitimate authority of a good God. But the authority of the Fuhrer was submitted to nothing. It was self-derived and autocratic and therefore had a messianic aspect.

Note: This was part of a radio address that Bonhoeffer gave on January 30, 1933 when Adolf Hitler become the democratically elected chancellor of Germany.

The speech was titled " The Younger Generations Altered Concept of Leadership." The speech dealt with the fundamental problems of leadership by a Fuhrer (der Fuhrer in German "the leader), explaining how such a leader inevitable becomes an idol and a "mis-leader. 

Before Bonhoeffer could finish his speech it was cut off. This was the beginning of the resistance to Hitlers Third Reich. In the end it would cost Bonhoeffer his life. 

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