The study of language is a theological discipline because it is an ontological one. Indeed, according to the narrative of Genesis Chapter 1, it is language that births creation as an instrument of the Divine. Accordingly, our adherence to the rules of syntax, the content of our vocabulary, and the grammatical structure of our speech and writing, identify and give meaning to our notions of truth and being, memory and hope. The implications for religious faith and Christian discipleship are both obvious and pervasive. This paper will combine Wittgenstein's approach to language and Bonhoeffer's discipleship imperative to better inform our understanding and experience of the Christian faith.
