Bonhoeffer Movie

There is a new movie being released about Dietrich Bonhoeffer; I hope it is good – portraying his life and thought and their complexities. From the safety of the United States Bonhoeffer returned to Germany to suffer with his nation and his brethren.

As I wrote to a friend yesterday, there is nothing simple about Bonhoeffer. If the movie gives you closure then it has fallen short, but if it gives you something to wrestle with the rest of your life, well then it was likely worth viewing. 

I was 15 or 16 when I first read Discipleship, that was 1966; it continues to challenge me. When I read Bonhoeffer’s statement, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die,” my heart was captured for it melded into Mark 8:34 – 38. Some things you only have to read once to remember, you only have to read once for them to be burned into your soul. Any expression of Christianity that falls short of Christ’s call to discipleship is another religion. It is either all for Jesus Christ or nothing for Jesus Christ. If Bonhoeffer had not believed this he would have remained in the United States.

Now how Bonhoeffer worked this out, especially in his final years, here we have the complexity which defined his life and ministry and ultimately his civic engagement. To know his life in more than a superficial fashion is to realize the complexity – even if we can’t swim in the deep waters that Bonhoeffer did. 

If you have never read Bonhoeffer, then I think Discipleship, Reader's Edition, published by Fortress Press is the place to begin. It is translated by Barbara Green and Reinhard Krauss - a wonderful book by Bonhoeffer.

The definitive biography is, Dietrich Bonhoeffer A Biography, by Eberhard Bethge, Revised Edition, Fortress Press. It is worth the journey at over 900 pages. By the end you'll know more than when you started.

Bethge was not only married to Bonhoeffer's niece, but he served in ministry with Bonhoeffer and was the executor of Bonhoeffer's literary estate. He also edited 6 volumes of Bonhoeffer's collected works and numerous other Bonhoeffer writings. Bethge was Bonhoeffer’s friend. 

A few years ago a “popular” biography of Bonhoeffer was published that was not only poorly written on a literary level, but which has inaccuracies. When historians pointed out these inaccuracies the author accused them of nitpicking. Sadly, this author is currently misrepresenting Bonhoeffer and twisting Bonhoeffer’s thinking and actions for political ends and to promote Christian heresy. 

I will likely wait to stream the movie when it is available and then perhaps share some thoughts on it. Hopefully the movie portrays complexity to some degree, and challenges us to live for Jesus and others, to wrestle with life and live in tension, being faithful to Christ, always to Christ. Hopefully the movie will not give us closure.