Thursday, December 25, 2014

A Profile of Moral Courage in Hitler's Germany

Deitrich Bonhoeffer was a remarkable individual. Born before WWI he experienced the horrors of war as a child. He was deeply religious choosing to study theology and became a Lutheran pastor as well as a noted academic. During WWII he played a major role among the Germans trying to overthrow Hitler.

Bonhoeffer's family was deeply engaged in the conspiracy to end Hitler's control of Germany. Deitrich remained on the edges until having received a safe haven in New York during the war, he realized that his place was in Germany, and he became an active conspirator.

I haven't read Eric Metaxas' full version of Bonhleffer's life. However, the abridged edition is very easy to read. In fact, it reads rather like an action novel. The book contains passages from his letters as well as passages from his sermons and other theological writing.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Bonhoeffer was a very complex individual. His growth in theological ideas as well as his burgeoning desire to play an active role in freeing Germany from the grip of Hitler and the Nazis is extremely moving. I highly recommend this book. While you may not agree with his theology, reading about the struggles of this extraordinary individual will give you an idea of how some people in Germany were devastated by the terrible atrocities of Hitler's government and tried to fight against it.


I reviewed this book for BookLook Bloggers.  

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