Abstract:
The present work analyzes Dietrich Bonhoeffer's concept of order of preservation, which he used in the early 1930s. The objective is to investigate the contributions that this Bonhoefferian concept brings to theological discernment about politics. Therefore, the question that guides the research is: what are the contributions that the Bonhoefferian concept of order of preservation brings to theological discernment in politics? To this end, the research uses the exploratory bibliographic method. First, the analysis focuses on Bonhoeffer's texts where the term occurs, highlighting the relationship of this theological concept with its historical and political context. Afterwards, it investigates the theological and philosophical background behind the creation and development of the concept, as well as its analysis and interpretation in recent research. We can see the recovery of Luther's social and political ethics for that context and, together, the controversial and corrective nature of this concept in relation to the absolutization and divinization of culture. Finally, it highlights four fundamental aspects of the theological discernment of politics as an order of preservation: the place of politics, the function of politics, the confusion with politics and the relativization of politics. Based on these aspects, it concludes with some proposals for practical application in theological reflection on politics.
