Monday, February 04, 2008

In Memory: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Today is Monday, 4 February 2008.

On this day was born Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German Lutheran theologian and member of the Resistance. He was murdered by the SS in a concentration camp on 9 April 1945.

Bonhoeffer was a key leader in the Confessing Church, the anti-Nazi Protestant movement. Tellingly, he was in New York City in 1939, where he could have remained at Union Seminary. He chose to return to Germany: “If I do not share the dangers and suffering of my country, I shall have no right to share in the reconstruction after the war”.

Bonhoeffer was perhaps the first German Protestant leader to make a radio broadcast denouncing fascism, after Hitler took power in 1933, and eventually was banned from all public speaking. Through family and church connections, he became early on part of a circle of civilian and military, who sought the overthrow of Nazism, finally becoming part of the group which attempted to assassinate Hitler, etc. on 20 July 1944.

While I have many problems with his (or any) theology, all honour to one who was willing to sacrifice his life in the attempt to create living peace and justice.
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Note: the Wikipedia article is good, for further information.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Let our hawkish brethren and sisters contemplate the profile in unpopular courage that Dietrich Bonhoeffer unselfishly demonstrated as they make reference to those who choose to make peace.

A foolish dignity is a symptom of terminal hubris.

8:36 PM  
Blogger HH said...

Amen and amen!

8:51 PM  

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