Do keep me posted on what you think with whichever book you read. I might need to expand my to-read list. 🙂

Good idea! … very difficult: Discipleship looks good, and he wrote a little book on the Psalms! However he sounds like one of those people whose actions spoke as loud as their words. I’ll probably get that German biography.

Thank you for your help

David

Hmm…I’m not clear on all these versions of Christianity either. I didn’t detect an American evangelical bias when I read the book, but since I am American, I just might not have noticed. 😉 So based on my (possibly blind) opinion, I’d still say it’s an inspirational read even if that is the case, if one could overlook the bias.

I’m not familiar with the other book at all, but at first glance it looks reputable as well. I don’t think you could go wrong with either.

Or perhaps try a third option and read something from Bonhoeffer himself? I found him a little tough to read straight up, so I prefer the more storied approach with excerpts of his writings. But you might be of sturdier stock than me and prefer his writings first-hand.

I am here with my money in my hand *but* then I read the “one star” comments on the amazon.com page, raising what sound like sensible concern’s about Metaxas’ interpretation. Do you think the concerns are well-founded? (I’m not very clear on all these versions of Christianity.)

I’ve found “Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906-1945: Martyr, Thinker, Man of Resistance” (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0567034003/). Do you know that book?

Bonhoeffer’s message seems very timely to me.

(I’m gearing up to read another of your books. It’s between this and “Inside Out”. I’m going to have some time alove soon and I plan to fill it with “all this”).

Thank you

David

Wow–that’s great, Dianna. I’m glad you have the book in hand now and got a good price too!

Another great biography I read around the same time as this one that I think you’d also enjoy (if you haven’t already read it) is Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. I got it from our library and Jeff checked out the audiobook and we both found it totally fascinating and inspiring.

I love when God uses repetition to catch our attention. Maybe you’re meant to read this book soon. 🙂

I have that same problem with audiobooks, especially when the material is dense. I still like a regular old book when I know I’ll have to go slow or return often to previous pages to look up something I didn’t catch or remember.

The line that troubles you is one I had to think through as well, because yes, it IS pleasing to God when we avoid sin. But I think what was meant in the context was that sometimes we play it so safe to avoid any chance of wrongdoing that that in itself ends up being wrong and we miss out on opportunities to do good.

Of course in Bonhoeffer’s situation he had the huge dilemma of whether or not to break the law or do other unethical things in order to do greater good for the glory of God and for the love of people. I really can’t even imagine….

Great comment, Caleb. “Active waiting” is an effective term to explain it because too often we (me!) tend to think of waiting as totally passive.

I agree that it’s a fantastic biography! That’s great that you dug into Bonhoeffer’s original writings after reading it–a sign of a good biography. I read “The Cost of Discipleship” a few years back and it was challenging to get through. Bonhoeffer was a deep thinker and writer.

More recently I read “In Visible Fellowship” by Jon Walker. It takes excerpts from Bonhoeffer’s “Life Together” and makes them a little easier to read. I got a lot out of it.