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A review by maigahannatu
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas
5.0
Eric Metaxas has compiled a very thorough and well-written biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The book is a biography and touches on his beliefs, but it doesn't go into great details on where Bonhoeffer stood theologically. In my college days, I'd been taught that he was a proponent of the "death of God" theology. Metaxas feels that followers of this philosophy who claimed Bonhoeffer as their hero misunderstood Bonhoeffer.
I know that Bonhoeffer was not a perfect person and I don't doubt that I would disagree with some of his theology. But, according to Metaxas anyway, Bonhoeffer was a man who believed in living your faith. He believed in meditation, in searching out the meaning of Scripture, and then of applying it to your life. For him, this meant going against the laws of Germany in the 1930's and 40's when Adolph Hitler spread the blood of millions across Europe. Bonhoeffer encouraged the "Confessing Church" to have nothing to do with the German Church, which was a made-up church of the Nazis. He recognized that it was wrong to kill Jews and he took a stand to defend them. As his brother-in-law, who was in the German military, revealed the true inside story of what was happening, Bonhoeffer came more and more to believe three things: 1. The true church in Germany could not take part in oaths of allegiance to Hitler or in the activities he promoted; 2. He himself had to be a conscientious objector; and 3. He would join forces with those plotting to kill Hitler and overthrow his government.
Was Bonhoeffer right to be part of a coup and assassination plot? That's something you'll have to read and decide. It certainly wasn't an easy decision for Bonhoeffer and he spent much time agonizing over it. At one point he even took a position in the USA, but was only there for a few weeks before he realized he had to go back to Germany even if it meant death for him.
Whatever you may think about Bonhoeffer, this much is clear: He lived what he believed and encouraged others to do the same. Sometimes living what you believe puts you right in the fray, but so be it. How can you not take up the cause of those who can't speak for themselves?
I highly recommend this book. Please remember that it's written from the author's point of view; an author doing research sixty years after Bonhoeffer was martyred. It is well researched, but there are times when one can only surmise what Bonhoeffer's motivations or thoughts were.
I know that Bonhoeffer was not a perfect person and I don't doubt that I would disagree with some of his theology. But, according to Metaxas anyway, Bonhoeffer was a man who believed in living your faith. He believed in meditation, in searching out the meaning of Scripture, and then of applying it to your life. For him, this meant going against the laws of Germany in the 1930's and 40's when Adolph Hitler spread the blood of millions across Europe. Bonhoeffer encouraged the "Confessing Church" to have nothing to do with the German Church, which was a made-up church of the Nazis. He recognized that it was wrong to kill Jews and he took a stand to defend them. As his brother-in-law, who was in the German military, revealed the true inside story of what was happening, Bonhoeffer came more and more to believe three things: 1. The true church in Germany could not take part in oaths of allegiance to Hitler or in the activities he promoted; 2. He himself had to be a conscientious objector; and 3. He would join forces with those plotting to kill Hitler and overthrow his government.
Was Bonhoeffer right to be part of a coup and assassination plot? That's something you'll have to read and decide. It certainly wasn't an easy decision for Bonhoeffer and he spent much time agonizing over it. At one point he even took a position in the USA, but was only there for a few weeks before he realized he had to go back to Germany even if it meant death for him.
Whatever you may think about Bonhoeffer, this much is clear: He lived what he believed and encouraged others to do the same. Sometimes living what you believe puts you right in the fray, but so be it. How can you not take up the cause of those who can't speak for themselves?
I highly recommend this book. Please remember that it's written from the author's point of view; an author doing research sixty years after Bonhoeffer was martyred. It is well researched, but there are times when one can only surmise what Bonhoeffer's motivations or thoughts were.