Have you heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer?

BISHOP
KEVIN J.
SWEENEY

I do not remember the first time I heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. It may have been during my years in college or in the seminary. When I first heard something about him and his story, I was intrigued and impressed. I remember learning that Bonhoeffer was a theologian and Lutheran pastor in Germany at the time when Adolf Hitler rose to power and that he came to believe and preach that true Christians should oppose Hitler and the Nazi Regime. Here is a brief summary of a biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, written by his “friend, pupil, and close associate,” Eberhard Bethge:

At a time when much of the world was either enticed with or entrapped by fascism, Dietrich Bonhoeffer dared to live the morally responsible Christian life to its most expressive, and tragic, end. As a theologically rooted opponent to National Socialism, and later as a member of the political resistance against Nazism, Bonhoeffer was recognized as a leader even by his enemies and was hanged by the Gestapo in 1945. His legacy has inspired many and has demonstrated his landmark life and works to be among the most important of the twentieth century and the most relevant for our times ahead.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer biography on Amazon

I learned more about Bonhoeffer when I read a more recent biography written by Eric Metaxes, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy:  It has been some years since I had read the book, but the story of Bonhoeffer’s life, his faith, courage, and sacrifice made a lasting impression. The first line of the book’s summary on Amazon, I believe, is a succinct and insightful commentary: “Who better to face the greatest evil of the 20th-century than a humble man of faith?”

Since I was somewhat familiar with Bonhoeffer’s life and witness, I was very happy to learn, about two years ago, that a new movie was being made to tell his story. I learned about the movie from Mr. Bill Marino, a parishioner of Assumption parish in Morristown, who was involved with the production. He kept me updated, letting me know that the production and filming were going well and that the project was nearing completion. In December of last year, I was glad to hear that the rights to the film were acquired by Angel Studios, and it was being scheduled for release in theaters in November of 2024. When I was able to view a “pre-screening” earlier this month, I was both relieved and excited to be able to say that the movie, “BONHOEFFER,” is excellent!
I will mention just a few aspects of Bonhoeffer’s life and story that the movie portrays in an engaging, entertaining, and dramatic presentation. First, “Vocations come from families.” While Dietrich’s family was surprised or shocked at his decision, as a teenager, to study theology and become a pastor, he and his family walked the journey of faith and discernment together. When he and they began to see the price that Dietrich would pay for preaching and speaking out against Hitler and the Nazi regime, they faced their fear together and were ready to courageously make the necessary sacrifices.

Another aspect of Bonhoeffer’s life and story is the meaning and importance of the Christian community. What does it mean to be “Church” and how does the Church as an “institution” interact with the society and culture in which it is called to preach the Good News of the Gospel? As we study and strive to learn from history, we know that some believe both the Lutheran and Catholic Church failed in many ways to resist the Nazis in Germany leading up to and during the Second World War. We also know that an evaluation of history is not always a simple matter. Pope Pius XI famously published an encyclical in German that the German bishops surreptitiously distributed throughout the country in 1937, Mit Brennender Sorge, which bravely highlighted the insidious dangers of Nazism and condemned the Nazi violation of human rights.

We also know that many leaders in those Churches did speak out and also worked “behind the scenes” to save many lives, especially the lives of Jewish brothers and sisters, whom Hitler was ruthlessly exterminating. The movie shows Bonhoeffer as a member of the “Confessing Church,” which broke from the institutional German Church that was supporting the Nazi regime. It also shows Bonhoeffer as part of the European Christian ecumenical movement, who, with the support of many Churches in the United States, were raising funds and taking great risks to help Jews and other refugees escape Germany and the concentration camps.

Perhaps most powerfully, the movie portrays a Christian who “takes up his cross” and willingly shares in the mystery of Christ’s suffering and, in doing so, comes to know and share the joy and peace that comes from faith. Both in reading Metaxes’s biography and in the film, I was struck by how Bonhoeffer’s life and faith were impacted by the year (1930-31) that he spent as an exchange student at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. His mentor at Union was Reinhold Niebuhr, whose theology and teaching would later inspire Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Also, during his time in New York and traveling in the United States, he came to know another Church and community that was suffering, the African American Church. He was embraced, befriended, and welcomed by the African American community, who also introduced him to Jazz and to the Spiritual hymns that inspired and strengthened the community of faith. Bonhoeffer learned and experienced what it meant to be part of the “mystical Body of Christ,” united in prayer. Those relationships gave him the strength to face his own “Calvary,” sharing in Christ’s suffering and death, with a sure hope of a share in His Resurrection.

There is a vast amount of information available online about the life, writings, and witness of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. One site that I found to be especially helpful is “Britannica.com.” One theme in particular that has come to be associated with Bonhoeffer’s life, theology, and spirituality is his description of “cheap grace.” He was convinced that, as Christians, we must “live out” our faith in our actions. Here is one of his best-known quotes on the subject of “cheap grace”:

“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession...Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/29333.Dietrich_Bonhoeffer

As we enter the Season of Advent and look forward to celebrating the Birth of Jesus at Christmas, especially listening to the call of the “Synod on Synodality” and looking forward to the great Jubilee of 2025, we should not forget the hope of “Ecumenism,” the hope that, as Christians, we may be united as one Church. Looking to and learning from the life and example of Dietrich Bonhoeffer can help us to see that, as Christians, we should all be striving for and working toward that unity.

I am unsure how long the new movie will be in theatres, but I highly recommend it. If you cannot see it in the theatre, hopefully, it will be available by streaming sometime soon. For more information, you can go to: https://www.angel.com/movies/bonhoeffer.