Bonhoeffer

A Lutheran pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a trenchant modern theologian, as his books—Ethics and The Cost of Discipleship, to name two—amply testify. Eric Metaxas's meticulously researched biography reveals that he was also a figure of extraordinary moral courage in Nazi Germany. A riveting story of historical and spiritiual import.

The reason why I read the book was because I wanted to understand how Bonhoeffer grew in his faith and dedication as a Christian and how it carried him through his life and these turbulent times. His walk with Christ required the same process that every Christian is asked to do, which is quiet time with the Lord in prayer and Bible study on a daily basis. There was not something special that he did, but he was consistent and dedicated, which allowed the Lord to impact Bonhoeffer with His grace and reveal His desired path for this man.

I learned how Bonhoeffer came to realize what he must do to be obedient to the Lord’s wishes and that nothing else mattered. Among the things that was important to Bonhoeffer was his reputation as a pastor and scholar. He threw all of that aside and considered it rubbish in order to be obedient to God in his participation as a spy and in the various plots to assassinate Hitler.

The difficult part about the book for me was that there were many excepts from writings by Bonhoeffer and others, which required a mental shift in gears to jump from the author’s writing style to the writing style of others.