Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

65 years ago today Dietrich Bonhoeffer was hanged to death—stripped naked and strangled by a thin wire at Flossenbürg concentration camp. Three weeks later the Soviets would capture Berlin and Hitler would commit suicide. Three months later the Allies would assume control of Germany.

Eric Metaxas, the NYT-bestselling author of Amazing Grace (a biography of Wilberforce), has a new biography out on Bonhoeffer. The nearly 600-page biography is the first major biography of Bonhoeffer to appear in 40 years. I’ve only been able to read the first few chapters thus far, but Metaxas is a clear and engaging writer. Tim Keller writes the foreword for the book. It’s worth picking up.

For families who want to learn together about Bonhoeffer’s life and witness, I’d recommend Focus on the Family’s Radio Theatre audio drama, Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Freedom. ($10 at Amazon, for the three-hour production.) It’s very well done.

Here is the final scene from the movie Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace, depicting his execution: