Review of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

8. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy (Eric Metaxas)

Pleasure: 8/10 Stars
Utility: 8/10 Stars

A comprehensive and breathtaking biography of one of the most controversial figures involved in the events surrounding the Second World War, Bonhoeffer was on the long side at close to 550 pages. The writing was of such a quality, though, that, with the exception of a couple of chapters, you didn't notice how much material you were plowing through. And I didn't realize how emotionally invested I had become in the picture of Bonhoeffer that Metaxas had painted until the account of his death. The author painted him in very warm, soft tones through the use of a great deal of personal details and accounts which others gave of this humble man. The picture Metaxas painted was not at all of a stuffed shirted theologian who was overly academic in his approach to life but of a kind-hearted lover of Christ and people. He was not content to relegate doctrine and doctrinal exploration to ivory towers but was a man who was moved by human suffering and had the courage to face off against bullies of all shapes and sizes. You never got the sense that Bonhoeffer let fear control him on any level. His theology really had become the way he saw the world and he was full of real joy no matter what situation he found himself in. The part of this book which I will never forget is found in the last chapter. Bonhoeffer had just preached his last sermon on the Sunday following Easter 1945 to a group of approximately 150 prisoners in Schönberg:

He had hardly finished his last prayer when the door opened and two evil-looking men in civilian clothes came in and said:

"Prisoner Bonhoeffer. Get ready to come with us." Those words "Come with us"-- for all prisoners they had come to mean one thing only-- the scaffold.

We bade him good-bye-- he drew me [Payne Best, a fellow prisoner] aside-- "This is the end," he said. "For me the beginning of life."

At this quote, I could not hold the tears back. Here was a man hours from death and he was not overcome with fear or even sadness but a great deal of matter-of-factness and excitement mixed with courage about him. He had been mastered by Christ and did not doubt to the end. He knew whom he had trusted and really understood that death was nothing to fear.

When I was younger, I used to read stories like this and think "This guy is a *hero*! I want to be more like him!" but the longer I've been a Christian, the more I realize that it's not these humans that are truly the remarkable players in the grand scheme of things, it's their God. How beautiful is Christ to imbue our weak, frail, fickle, human hearts with such courage, joy and peace?! Look through Bonhoeffer and see his God who is beyond imagination!