Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy By Eric Metaxas is a biography about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and theologian who spoke out against Hitler and the evils of Nazism during the World War II time period. The Christian church in Germany was very patriotic and nationalistic and may not have agreed with everything Hitler did, but they did not have a whole lot of courage and boldness to stand up and say that his actions were unacceptable. Bonhoeffer was one of the leaders of the Confessing Church and the German, Christian resistance to Hitler. This book covers everything from his early childhood until the Nazis ended his life by means of execution.
I thought that this book was very interesting, especially to those people who love learning about World War II. It is rather long and took me several months to finish. Throughout the book, it is evident that Bonhoeffer really believed in Jesus and Christianity. He wasn’t about to abandon it whenever times became difficult or it became unpopular. It is also interesting to consider his reasoning behind deceiving the Nazis and even aiding an assassination plot. He realized that the Nazis were killing millions of Jews, and he felt like it was his responsibility to stay true to his faith and do whatever it took to save Jewish lives.
In conclusion, the book is very long, and it feels like it gives you way too many details than you were ever really care to know. I would prefer a shorter book that just covers the highlights. Notwithstanding, it is thought-provoking and enjoyable to read about the historical and theological aspects of his story.
Note: The publisher provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy through BookSneeze® for writing this review. I was not required to write a positive review.
Timothy's Book Reviews 