Bonhoeffer - courage, peace, and discipleship

Several weeks ago I finally finished Eric Metaxas' biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  It took me much longer than it should have, but I can tell you it was an absolutely wonderful book.  If you're not familiar with Bonhoeffer, he was a german theologian, pastor, and disciplemaker who was very prominant during Hitler's rise to power.  He, of course, was against what Hitler was doing to Jews and to germany and eventually even got involved in plots to take out Hitler.  To understand why a theolgian would get involved in that, you have to read the book - it's well worth your time.

Here are just a few quotes from the book - though they may function as teasers that invite you to read the whole thing for yourself, they are also powerful thoughts that challenge and encourage us to reflect on our own lives of faith and discipleship.  Here they are:

"We are saved, not by anything we do, but by grace.  Yet if we have truly understood and believed the gospel, it will change what we do and how we live."

"Christianity preaches the infinite worth of that which is seemingly worthless and the infinite worthlessness of that which is seemingly so valued."

"The good leader serves others and leads others to maturity.  He puts them above himself, as a good parent does a child, wishing to lead that child to someday be a good parent.  Another word for this is discipleship."

"There is no way to peace along the way of safety.  For peace must be dared, it is itself the great venture and can never be safe.  Peace is the opposite of security.  To demand guarantees is to want to protect oneself.  Peace means giving oneself completely to God's commandment, wanting no security, but in faith and obedience laying the destiny of the nations in the hand of Almighty God."

And finally, "Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God's will."

Maybe one of those thoughts strikes you...maybe you want to read the book.  Either way I'd encourage you to read about the life of someone completely committed to God - it's encourages and inspires us to pursue Him with even more passion and commitment.

 

Comments

[Stephanie]

I've started reading it too. Got it for $0.99 on the kindle app a few months ago. The beginning took a long time to get through but it's picking up now:0)

This one is my favorite quote--
"There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared, it is itself the great venture and can never be safe. Peace is the opposite of security. To demand guarantees is to want to protect oneself. Peace means giving oneself completely to God's commandment, wanting no security, but in faith and obedience laying the destiny of the nations in the hand of Almighty God."

[Eric Miller]

Great quote - it definitely gets more intense as you go further in the book. Very thought provoking!
Thanks for commenting!!

[Robert C. Miller]

Hi Kids, Yes how true, this is quite a challenging read. A real page turned. I should have commented about it before, but pulled up your blog today, hoping to hear a fresh word and decided I needed to respond. I believe I have you my son to thank for it or now as I think of it with my FORGETFUL mind was it my sweet companion that got the book for me. No matter it came in either case from someone who loves me. (Smile) Love & Prayers DAD P.S. Going to see your big brothers new house tomorrow.