Grace: free, costly, or cheap?

This book examines the concept of cheap and costly grace in Discipleship within the context of Bonhoeffer's theological and historical background. I shall argue that cheap grace is not grace but rather an ironic statement that Bonhoeffer created in reaction to Lutheran theologians who denied the role of works as a necessary response to faith. Bonhoeffer believed that these Christians centred their theology on traditions and creeds rather than accepting Christ's call to discipleship. Costly grace in contrast to cheap grace is characterised by faith which is active in obedience to Christ. However, Bonhoeffer's theology of costly grace is not without criticism, and I will propose that Bonhoeffer's treatise of costly grace is lacking an adequate theology of the Holy Spirit, is overly Christocentric, and can be accused of removing the central Reformation tenet of grace as a gift. This volume is best used as a companion to Bonhoeffer's book Discipleship, and should be especially useful to students and scholars of Bonhoeffer's work.