Overview

This New York Times bestseller is the groundbreaking biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, one of the greatest heroes of the twentieth century, the man who stood up to Hitler. A definitive, deeply moving narrative, Bonhoeffer is a story of moral courage in the face of the monstrous evil that was Nazism. As Adolf Hitler and the Nazis seduced a nation, bullied a continent, and attempted to exterminate the Jews of Europe, a small number of dissidents and saboteurs worked to dismantle the Third Reich from the inside. One of these was Dietrich Bonhoeffer--a pastor and author. Eric Metaxas takes both strands of Bonhoeffer's life--the theologian and the spy--and draws them together, presenting the fullest account of Bonhoeffer's life written to date. He tells of Bonhoeffer's heart-wrenching decision to leave the safe haven of America to return to Hitler's Germany and sheds new light on Bonhoeffer's involvement in the famous Valkyrie plot, as well as Operation 7, the effort to smuggle Jews into neutral Switzerland. Since his death in Flossenburg concentration camp at age thirty-nine, Bonhoeffer has grown to be one of the most fascinating, complex figures of the twentieth century. This fascinating account uncovers never-before-revealed facts about the profoundly orthodox Christian theologian, including the story of his passionate romance.

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9781441766069

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A welcome new biography of one of the twentieth century's leading lights. Metaxas magnificently captures the life of theologian and anti-Nazi activist Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), who 'thought it the plain duty of the Christian-and the privilege and honor-to suffer with those who suffered.' In the finest treatment of the man since Eberhard Bethge's Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Man of Vision, Man of Courage (1970), Metaxas presents a complete, accessible picture of this important figure, whose story is inspiring, instructive, and international in scope...Metaxas rightly focuses on his subject's life, not his theology, though readers will learn plenty about his theology as well. The author makes liberal use of primary sources, which bring Bonhoeffer and other characters to vivid life. For the most part, Metaxas allows this epic story to play itself out, unhindered by commentary; where he does add his own voice, the conclusions are sage. A definitive Bonhoeffer biography for the twenty-first century. -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Moving, comprehensive, and engaging...Metaxas tells a compelling story...Recommended. -- Library Journal Raised in a strict German family, Dietrich Bonhoeffer studied at prestigious schools and later became a Lutheran pastor, theologian, and, finally, a martyr. The National Socialist policy of hatred against Jews led him to join the Nazi resistance and then to a plot to murder the Furher. The biography contains large doses of religious doctrine and history necessary to understand how Bonhoeffer came to the beliefs that put his life in peril. In English, narrator Malcolm Hillgartner speaks forcefully and slowly. He avoids any characterizations in the quotations, instead reading them straight from the page. While neither perfectly pronounced nor perfectly consistent, weaknesses in his delivery of German should not distract most listeners from this important life story. -- AudioFile Massive and masterful. -- Christianity Today In Hitler's Germany, a Lutheran pastor chooses resistance and pays with his life...Eric Metaxas tells Bonhoeffer's story with passion and theological sophistication, often challenging revisionist accounts that make Bonhoeffer out to be a 'humanist' or ethicist for whom religious doctrine was easily disposable...Metaxas reminds us that there are forms of religion--respectable, domesticated, timid--that may end up doing the devil's work for him. -- Wall Street Journal In this weighty, riveting analysis of the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Metaxas offers a comprehensive review of one of history's darkest eras, along with a fascinating exploration of the familial, cultural, and religious influences that formed one of the world's greatest contemporary theologians. A passionate narrative voice combines with meticulous research...Abundant source documentation brings to life the personalities and experiences that shaped Bonhoeffer...Insightful and illuminating, this tome makes a powerful contribution to biography, history, and theology. -- Publishers Weekly

Author Information

Eric Metaxas is a New York Times bestselling author whose biographies, children's books, and works of popular apologetics have been translated into multiple languages around the world. He was awarded the Canterbury Medal in 2011 by the Becket Fund for Religious Freedom. He has been a frequent cultural commentator on CNN and the Fox News Channel and has been featured on many radio programs, including NPR's Morning Edition and Talk of the Nation. Timothy Keller was born and raised in Pennsylvania and educated at Bucknell University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary. His first pastorate was in Hopewell, Virginia. In 1989 he started Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City with his wife, Kathy, and their three sons. Today, Redeemer has nearly six thousand regular Sunday attendees and has helped to start more than three hundred new churches around the world. He is the author of Making Sense of God, The Songs of Jesus, Preaching, Prayer, as well as The Meaning of Marriage, The Prodigal God, and The Reason for God, among others. Malcolm Hillgartner is an accomplished actor, writer, and musician. Named an AudioFile Best Voice of 2013 and the recipient of several Earphones Awards, he has narrated over 175 audiobooks.

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