Posted on by Dave Miers

New Dietrich Bonhoeffer Biography by Eric Metaxas

I said that my Bonhoeffer essay was my favourite essay of the year. Now that I’ve written it, I retract that statement! While I thoroughly enjoyed all the reading, I think I stuffed up the actual essay. Here’s a quick book review of one of the books I read.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy is a new biography written by Eric Metaxas (he’s the guy who wrote the recent bio of William Wilberforce). It’s brilliant! I couldn’t put it down. Bonhoeffer’s story is incredible and Metaxas’ writing is is simple, yet compelling. It’s comprehensive (600 pages) and also includes extended extracts from Bonhoeffer’s writings. Understanding his life is useful for understanding more fully the context in which he wrote. Gripping stuff.

It’s very good. Read it. Pick it up on Amazon: Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

4 Replies to “New Dietrich Bonhoeffer Biography by Eric Metaxas”

  1. For a critical review see the Association of Contemporary Church Historians Newsletter, Vol 16, No3, September, 2010. She starts “This is a badly flawed book” I am not a professional historian but I found books ommited that would challenge some of his interpretations. On the issue of pacificism one only has to see the inteviews on an earlier dvd on his life. Bethge admits he was shocked when arriving at the illegal seminary to learn that Bonhoeffer was a pacifist. His friendship with Lassere strengthened his pacifist views

  2. I was checking the bibliograpy and see two important books were ommitted. For the preaching that Bonhoeffer would have been exposed to (Like Obama lol) see Against Cheap Grace in a World Come of Age by Ralph Garlin Clingan. I like this comment about Adam Clayton Powell ” This is Clayton Powell, Progressive Prophet of Liberation (That should give Beck something to rage about), from Virginia and Ohio by Wayland-Virginia Union University and Yale Divinity school, a prophetic, liberatoing interpreter of the Bible.. He related to the poor and ricj alike, and established fully funded positions for highly educated women on equal planes, with men through his prophetic, spiritual interpretation of the Bible, the Gospel and Progress” p.15. Bonhoeffer (like Obama listened to Wright say very sunday for 2 years listening to this preacher. Interesting.

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