Bonhoeffer, twentieth century Christian hero

By Harold Jantz and ChristianWeek | January 17, 2011

In this new biography, Metaxas tells a brilliant story of the German theologian who became a sparkplug of church resistance to the Nazis. He unwraps the backdrop of Bonhoeffer's social and religious roots and the gathering storm generated by the German fascists. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy takes us deep into the German experience that promised much and ultimately led the nation into hellish night.

It was decades ago that I first read The Cost of Discipleship and was introduced to Bonhoeffer. I remember the debate when some tried to use his prison writings to argue for a kind of religionless Christianity, which Metaxas shows was never Bonhoeffer's intent. The effort eventually faded.

In this new biography Metaxas places Bonhoeffer within a rich tradition of disciplined German culture and Christian teaching. Young Dietrich's life could have taken any of several directions, but at an early age he chose to yield his life to Christ and the church. From his early years he already showed the keen mind and resolute character that led him to become a huge challenge to a compromised German church and a conspirator with a small company who tried to stop Hitler.

The book is especially helpful in laying out the course of events that took Germany farther and farther down the road of compromise with great forces of evil. Hitler's glorification of raw power, a theology rooted in paganism, the swelling anti-Semitism, the belief in an Uebermensch (superior man) who was Aryan, all were part of the â€œstew," as Metaxas writes, that Hitler thought would â€œbe far more useful than Christianity because it would advocate such 'virtues' as would be useful to the Third Reich."

Bonhoeffer recognized the deeply alien nature of National Socialism almost from the outset. He refused to align himself with the churches that wanted to go along with Hitler and called themselves â€œGerman Christians" as proof.

Two days after Hitler was democratically elected as chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933, Bonhoeffer, as a 26-year-old theologian, went on radio and gave an address that challenged the notion of a â€œFuehrer" and argued such a leader was bound to become an idol and â€œmis-leader." The address was taken off the air before he could finish.

Bonhoeffer's struggles with German church leadership, his contacts with ecumenical leaders in Britain and America, his efforts at maintaining a clandestine seminary, his relationships to his own family, his involvement in the conspiracy against Hitler and his writing, form most of the gripping story told by Metaxas. Because we know how Bonhoeffer's life ended, reading the account becomes at times almost more than one can bear. He was noble and deeply Christian as few are.

His late romance with Maria Wedemeyer, an affection that would never find its consummation, was merely another of those aspects of this man that remained as a promise never fulfilled. Yet no one could have taken that from his final recorded words: â€œThis is the end. For me the beginning of life."

Despite so many chapters of his life uncompleted, Bonhoeffer probably influenced more lives than all but a small handful of 20th century Christians. His clear witness to Christ, his ability to discern the true nature of threats to the church, his willingness to suffer to the point of death, his love for people–these are some of his gifts to Christians of all ages.

Seldom has the entire sweep of Bonhoeffer's life been told with greater, more engaging and powerful effect, than in Metaxas' new book. One can only hope that many will find the book and read it.