Few heroes in life/ this is one of mine, 75th Anniversary of his death today… Bonhoeffer.
A Short Reflection on Dietrich Bonhoeffer
On April 8th,1945 Dietrich Bonhoeffer gave what would be his final sermon at an abandoned schoolhouse in Schönberg. It was Easter, and the Protestant Bonhoeffer was elected by his group of mostly Catholic prisoners to give a sermon. Bonhoeffer preferred not to, but reluctantly agreed after an atheist gentlemen joined in and insisted that he preach. Bonhoeffer then spoke on two passages, Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 1:3. As he was finishing the closing prayer, two prison guards broke open the doors of the schoolhouse and said, “Prisoner Bonhoeffer. Get ready come with us.” Those in the room knew this was the end for their pastor and friend. That night Bonhoeffer was taken to the Flossenbürg concentration camp, where his case went to trial. He was immediately convicted and condemned. “No witness gave testimony, and the accused was allowed no defense counsel.” The next morning, Bonhoeffer and five other prisoners were led to their execution.For many, Bonhoeffer’s biggest accomplishment is his death. His martyrdom is seen as the reason why he is deemed heroic. As time has seasoned the legacy of Bonhoeffer, many have circulated praise or raised concerned about the pacifist martyr. This pursuit to glorify or question Bonhoeffer has created a caricature of who he really was. We like to depict him as the lead conspirator in a plot to murder Hitler. The depiction of his role in the many failed attempts to kill Hitler has overshadowed the most important aspects of his life. While many may fantasize about who Bonhoeffer actually was, what we do know is that he was unequivocally normal. He was a materialistic, philosophical, and opinionated professor and pastor. He smoked earnestly and read just as much. He was a normal pastor who was convinced that faith must be an action displayed in love. Bonhoeffer’s convictions and normalcy is why we should familiarize ourselves with his story. In order to truly understand Bonhoeffer’s death, we need to understand the convictions he held that led him there.
Bonhoeffer’s Black Church
