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Bonhoeffer the Assassin?: Challenging the Myth, Recovering His Call to Peacemaking
Most of us think we know the moving story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life--a pacifist pastor turns anti-Hitler conspirator due to horrors encountered during World War II--but does the evidence really support this prevailing view? This pioneering work carefully examines the biographical and textual evidence and finds no support for the theory that Bonhoeffer abandoned his ethic of discipleship and was involved in plots to assassinate Hitler. In fact, Bonhoeffer consistently affirmed a strong stance of peacemaking from 1932 to the end of his life, and his commitment to peace was integrated with his theology as a whole. The book includes a foreword by Stanley Hauerwas.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2013
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311 people want to read
About the author
Mark Thiessen Nation
9 books4 followersMark Thiessen Nation (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is professor of theology at Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and has authored several books.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 10, 2013
This is a book that is long overdue and if anyone cared to hear the real story of Bonhoeffer, it would change history.
Bonhoeffer was made famous, not for who he was, but for who we wanted him to be. In "Bonhoeffer the Assassin?" it is revealed that there is no case for the claim that Bonhoeffer was ever a part of an assassination attempt on Hitler or that he ever renounced non-violence as an essential element of Christianity.
Bonhoeffer was arrested a few years prior to the assassination attempt he's become so famous for. He was brought up on charges of evading military duty on the front lines and connected with misusing funds to relocate a group of Jewish victims. He did want to see Hitler removed from power, but sought a Christian solution for doing so.
Why has Bonhoeffer been labeled as a pacifist who became 'realistic' and embraced redemptive violence? Because we wanted him to be that for us. If someone like Bonhoeffer, who wrote "The Cost of Discipleship" which was so thoroughly convincing and convicting, ultimately embraced the necessity of violence, then we too can feel free to end all questions on the matter.
The problem is, that isn't the story of the real Bonhoeffer. Nor did anything good come from the assassination attempt. Bonhoeffer's commitment to non-violence and the blundered assassination attempt that inspired even more executions, should stand as a lesson against redemptive violence rather than support it.
Bonhoeffer was made famous, not for who he was, but for who we wanted him to be. In "Bonhoeffer the Assassin?" it is revealed that there is no case for the claim that Bonhoeffer was ever a part of an assassination attempt on Hitler or that he ever renounced non-violence as an essential element of Christianity.
Bonhoeffer was arrested a few years prior to the assassination attempt he's become so famous for. He was brought up on charges of evading military duty on the front lines and connected with misusing funds to relocate a group of Jewish victims. He did want to see Hitler removed from power, but sought a Christian solution for doing so.
Why has Bonhoeffer been labeled as a pacifist who became 'realistic' and embraced redemptive violence? Because we wanted him to be that for us. If someone like Bonhoeffer, who wrote "The Cost of Discipleship" which was so thoroughly convincing and convicting, ultimately embraced the necessity of violence, then we too can feel free to end all questions on the matter.
The problem is, that isn't the story of the real Bonhoeffer. Nor did anything good come from the assassination attempt. Bonhoeffer's commitment to non-violence and the blundered assassination attempt that inspired even more executions, should stand as a lesson against redemptive violence rather than support it.
June 18, 2019
The style of this book is a little scattered. Chapters range from accessible to provocative to convoluted to boring, which could be a result of three different co-authors attempting to synthesize research. It also could be the result of an attempt to engage deeply with Bonhoeffer's complicated and unfinished ethical and theological writings, which is also part of the book's strength.
The first three chapters are a very brief sketch of Bonhoeffer's biography, a biography that is covered in much detail in so many other books. The best section here is chapter 3, which directly engages the question of Bonhoeffer's involvement in the Abewehr and the assassination attempts he is typically connected to. The historical work here is compelling, and at a minimum, raises reasonable doubt over the conventional wisdom that Bonhoeffer gave up his pacifistic ideals for a more "realistic" compromise late in life.
The real "meat" of the book, however, is in the last 4 chapters, where the writers do a lot of work with Bonhoeffer's ethical writings. Some of these chapters are difficult to read, as they are philosophical-theological arguments based on Bonhoeffer's own work which could be esoteric and inaccessible at times. However, there is a ton to be gained here as well. The authors present a compelling case that Bonhoeffer's only true "theological conversion" happened before the writing of 'Discipleship,' and that there is significant continuity between this and his later unfinished writings presented as 'Ethics.' The trajectory of Bonhoeffer's thought is utterly fascinating, and the writers do a great job interacting with it and presenting it to non-experts.
The resulting argument presents a man who seems to have been deeply committed to pacifism until the end of his life and was actually part of a resistance movement to avoid killing in military service, combined with a notable lack of historical evidence that clearly links Bonhoeffer to any known assassination attempt of Hitler. At minimum, the book should raise serious questions about the accepted narrative of a man who compromised his early idealism when faced with the complications of the "real world." More than that, we run the serious risk of distorting this man's important legacy when we twist his life and work to fit our own discomfort with his high call to nonviolence and simple obedience to Jesus. For those who can stomach some convoluted and difficult theological writing, who are inspired by Bonhoeffer, and especially those who have only read Metaxas' biography, this is an easy recommendation. I'm grateful to have been exposed to it.
The first three chapters are a very brief sketch of Bonhoeffer's biography, a biography that is covered in much detail in so many other books. The best section here is chapter 3, which directly engages the question of Bonhoeffer's involvement in the Abewehr and the assassination attempts he is typically connected to. The historical work here is compelling, and at a minimum, raises reasonable doubt over the conventional wisdom that Bonhoeffer gave up his pacifistic ideals for a more "realistic" compromise late in life.
The real "meat" of the book, however, is in the last 4 chapters, where the writers do a lot of work with Bonhoeffer's ethical writings. Some of these chapters are difficult to read, as they are philosophical-theological arguments based on Bonhoeffer's own work which could be esoteric and inaccessible at times. However, there is a ton to be gained here as well. The authors present a compelling case that Bonhoeffer's only true "theological conversion" happened before the writing of 'Discipleship,' and that there is significant continuity between this and his later unfinished writings presented as 'Ethics.' The trajectory of Bonhoeffer's thought is utterly fascinating, and the writers do a great job interacting with it and presenting it to non-experts.
The resulting argument presents a man who seems to have been deeply committed to pacifism until the end of his life and was actually part of a resistance movement to avoid killing in military service, combined with a notable lack of historical evidence that clearly links Bonhoeffer to any known assassination attempt of Hitler. At minimum, the book should raise serious questions about the accepted narrative of a man who compromised his early idealism when faced with the complications of the "real world." More than that, we run the serious risk of distorting this man's important legacy when we twist his life and work to fit our own discomfort with his high call to nonviolence and simple obedience to Jesus. For those who can stomach some convoluted and difficult theological writing, who are inspired by Bonhoeffer, and especially those who have only read Metaxas' biography, this is an easy recommendation. I'm grateful to have been exposed to it.
March 11, 2024
This book aptly defends the continuity of Bonhoeffer's theology and makes a compelling case that, despite common portrayals, after his 'conversion' in the early 30s Bonhoeffer remained a pacifist right through the conspiracy.
September 17, 2025
“We do Bonhoeffer, the church, and ultimately the world a great disservice when we employ Bonhoeffer’s legacy to underwrite our contemporary proclivity toward war.” (Pg. 220)
This is a hard hitting book on the life and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and I am so thankful to have found it (definitely through a footnote in some other book I’ve read). I read Eric Metaxas’ biography on Bonhoeffer back in 2020, and really was captivated by his life, including his understanding of discipleship and the call of Christ away from nationalism and towards enemy love… but since then have heard that Metaxas’ retelling of the story downplays those elements significantly, potentially in a way that lines up more with his own political stance. But then I got to wondering… where am I supposed to find a book about Bonhoeffer that gives a more honest, less biased assessment of his resistance against Hitler’s Nazi Germany? Sadly, and without much to go off of, most who write about Bonhoeffer make his involvement in assassination attempts on Hitler the defining element of his life, even though that is highly questionable considering his theology and very unproven through his writings. So this book is a breath of fresh air when it comes to the collection of literature available on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and I would definitely recommend it (the first half is fairly biographical and very insightful; the second half of the book is fairly heady in its philosophical and theological discourse)!! I’m grateful to have this thorough framework for any future Bonhoeffer biographies I read.
This is a hard hitting book on the life and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and I am so thankful to have found it (definitely through a footnote in some other book I’ve read). I read Eric Metaxas’ biography on Bonhoeffer back in 2020, and really was captivated by his life, including his understanding of discipleship and the call of Christ away from nationalism and towards enemy love… but since then have heard that Metaxas’ retelling of the story downplays those elements significantly, potentially in a way that lines up more with his own political stance. But then I got to wondering… where am I supposed to find a book about Bonhoeffer that gives a more honest, less biased assessment of his resistance against Hitler’s Nazi Germany? Sadly, and without much to go off of, most who write about Bonhoeffer make his involvement in assassination attempts on Hitler the defining element of his life, even though that is highly questionable considering his theology and very unproven through his writings. So this book is a breath of fresh air when it comes to the collection of literature available on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and I would definitely recommend it (the first half is fairly biographical and very insightful; the second half of the book is fairly heady in its philosophical and theological discourse)!! I’m grateful to have this thorough framework for any future Bonhoeffer biographies I read.
October 24, 2025
3.5 stars. Their case is plausible, but not quite as convincing as I expected, regarding the argument that Bonhoeffer wasn't actually involved in conspiracies to kill Hitler.
June 10, 2014
An informative counter history to Eric Metaxes' recent book on Bonhoeffer, this one brings into question Bonhoeffer's involvement in a plot to assassinate Hitler. The book well articulates the growth in Bonhoeffer's theology. Especially helpful was the analysis of Bonhoeffer's pacifism as a response to Jesus Christ rather than as a principle. In an era when Christianity is reduced to values, it's refreshing to read of a faith that is shaped by Christ rather than merely morality. Many lessons here that should be heeded today.
October 10, 2021
The biography part was illuminating. I didn't understand all of the theology part, but what I did get helped me understand the scope of Bonhoeffer's theology
September 21, 2013
This book will surely be a conversation starter among those who admire the famed German theologian executed in April 1945, a week before the liberation of the Flossenburg Nazi concentration camp. The three authors of this book, each with Mennonite ties, differ in their interpretation of Dietrich Bonhoeffer from that accorded by Eric Metaxas’ recently popular biography, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. Indeed, the most important part of this new title may be the question mark.
The authors argue that while Bonhoeffer was against pacifism in 1929, as reflected in an address given in Barcelona, he shifted his position after being in America during 1930-31 where he came under the social justice influence of French pastor Jean Lasserre and the African-American Church. Some would say that Bonhoeffer retreated from this position as the exigencies of Nazi Germany forced thoughtful people to take action against Hitler. However, these authors contend that this was not the case with Bonhoeffer. He remained an adherent of pacifism; his theology did not shift between The Case for Discipleship and Ethics, but rather continued to develop along the same trajectory.
Part I of the book (chapter 1-3) is a biographical examination of Bonhoeffer’s ministerial career. The authors claim that he joined the Abwehr to avoid being sent to the front lines. He was arrested for attempting to save 14 Jews and indicted for evading the military call up. They contend that he had nothing to do with any of the attempts on Hitler’s life, although the same cannot be said for his brother-in-law Hans von Dohnanyi.
Part II (chapters 4-7) takes an in-depth look at the development of Bonhoeffer’s theology as evidenced through his major writing. It concludes with a comparison between Bonhoeffer’s embrace of pacifism and Reinhold Niebuhr’s rejection of it. Part II was a bit more challenging for me to follow, not having been trained in ethics or theology. Nevertheless, I picked up numerous thought-provoking concepts along the way, some not having to do with to do with war, but with the larger discussion of Christian discipleship.
Although beyond the scope of this book, reading Bonhoeffer: the Assassin? made me think about C.S. Lewis’s essay “Why I Am Not a Pacifist”. Both were Christians writing during WWII, but from very different positions—prison in Bonhoeffer’s case; Oxford University in Lewis’s. So far, I have not found any reference to Bonhoeffer among Lewis’s writing. At some point, I’d like to see a comparison of the arguments each man makes on this (sadly) perennial topic.
The authors argue that while Bonhoeffer was against pacifism in 1929, as reflected in an address given in Barcelona, he shifted his position after being in America during 1930-31 where he came under the social justice influence of French pastor Jean Lasserre and the African-American Church. Some would say that Bonhoeffer retreated from this position as the exigencies of Nazi Germany forced thoughtful people to take action against Hitler. However, these authors contend that this was not the case with Bonhoeffer. He remained an adherent of pacifism; his theology did not shift between The Case for Discipleship and Ethics, but rather continued to develop along the same trajectory.
Part I of the book (chapter 1-3) is a biographical examination of Bonhoeffer’s ministerial career. The authors claim that he joined the Abwehr to avoid being sent to the front lines. He was arrested for attempting to save 14 Jews and indicted for evading the military call up. They contend that he had nothing to do with any of the attempts on Hitler’s life, although the same cannot be said for his brother-in-law Hans von Dohnanyi.
Part II (chapters 4-7) takes an in-depth look at the development of Bonhoeffer’s theology as evidenced through his major writing. It concludes with a comparison between Bonhoeffer’s embrace of pacifism and Reinhold Niebuhr’s rejection of it. Part II was a bit more challenging for me to follow, not having been trained in ethics or theology. Nevertheless, I picked up numerous thought-provoking concepts along the way, some not having to do with to do with war, but with the larger discussion of Christian discipleship.
Although beyond the scope of this book, reading Bonhoeffer: the Assassin? made me think about C.S. Lewis’s essay “Why I Am Not a Pacifist”. Both were Christians writing during WWII, but from very different positions—prison in Bonhoeffer’s case; Oxford University in Lewis’s. So far, I have not found any reference to Bonhoeffer among Lewis’s writing. At some point, I’d like to see a comparison of the arguments each man makes on this (sadly) perennial topic.
May 11, 2025
Common popular opinion is that Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was a strong proponent of pacifism as an outgrowth of the call of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, ultimately disregarded his pacifism to join a plot to kill Hitler. Nation argues that this may not be completely accurate. Yes, Bonhoeffer did believe Hitler was evil, and he was one of the first outspoken critics, as early as 1933. Yes, Bonhoeffer did join the Confessing Church, believing that it was wrong for Hitler to coopt the German Nation Church as another arm of Nazi Germany. Yes, Bonhoeffer did spend much time away from Germany in Spain, The United States, and Great Britain. And Yes, Bonhoeffer ultimately joined the Abwehr where there was a plot to assassinate Hitler. However, as Nation argues, Bonhoeffer's role was not as an active participant in the assassination plot. Bonhoeffer joined the Abwehr to avoid military conscription because he was against killing even in war, and especially for Hitler. Bonhoeffer was considered valuable to the Abwehr because of his numerous contacts in the ecumenical movement in Europe. However, Bonhoeffer spent most of his time with those contacts not acting as a spy, but trying to let the rest of the world know there were people in Germany actively fighting against Hitler, trying to over throw him. Nation argues Bonhoeffer never gave up his pacifism, even though he was well aware of the plot, and was working to get support from outside countries. Nation believes, and I tend to agree, that Bonhoeffer had to play some mind games, never giving up his pacifism while also choosing to be an encouragement and spiritual counsel to those who were taking an active role. Maybe these are only semantics, but I believe it is an important tension to hold, as I hold that same tension in my own life and work.
October 22, 2024
This book was easy reading in the first chapters and at the conclusion, but there were some thickly academic portions in the middle, some of which I'm sure went over my head. It's a multi-author work, and they lay out a good case against the popular portrayal of Bonhoeffer as someone who embraced the use of violence toward the end of his life. For that matter, they point out that the charges against him by the Nazis were essentially about avoiding military service (in effect, being a conscientious objector, which was illegal).
November 8, 2024
Wow what a terrible book. The parts about Bonhoeffer's life were interesting but the chapters they spent trying to summarize his theology were intellectually gobblety gook and was largely incomprehensible. My pastor says Bonhoeffer's own writings translated in English from the German read much better.
January 31, 2022
A fantastic look at Bonhoeffer’s life and thought regarding peace and pacifism. Though people use him to argue for violence or overemphasize his involvement in plots to assassinate Hitler, this book argues that Bonhoeffer did not fundamentally change his stance on peace.
May 3, 2021
There are no primary sources that Bonhoeffer was ever involved in Operation Valkyrie.
March 7, 2016
Had this book only been made up of chapters 3, 4, 7, & Conclusion (& maybe a paragraph of summary from the remaining chapters), then I would have rated it 4 stars instead of 2. In these stated chapters, the authors ask thought provoking questions and engage the reader in viewing Bonhoeffer differently than from the point of view in which he is often portrayed. These four chapters were excellent in content and style.
The other chapters, however...
I struggled to get through them. Maybe it was because I had already read 2000+ pages on or by Bonhoeffer for a class, but the content was either unbelievably convoluted (at one point the author told the reader what he had just explained & I literally stopped & said, Oh! Was that what you were doing?!) or the content may be found more simply & better written by other Bonhoeffer scholars.
For the point that the authors are trying to make, I do recommend reading the aforementioned chapters, as this is the only book I have come across that did not, when all is said and done, separate Bonhoeffer from pacifism.
The other chapters, however...
I struggled to get through them. Maybe it was because I had already read 2000+ pages on or by Bonhoeffer for a class, but the content was either unbelievably convoluted (at one point the author told the reader what he had just explained & I literally stopped & said, Oh! Was that what you were doing?!) or the content may be found more simply & better written by other Bonhoeffer scholars.
For the point that the authors are trying to make, I do recommend reading the aforementioned chapters, as this is the only book I have come across that did not, when all is said and done, separate Bonhoeffer from pacifism.
February 17, 2014
Mark Nation addresses the question, what is an assassin in light of the historical backdrop of Nazi Germany. In doing so, Nation allows the reader to pose questions of themselves to uncover what action, or inaction, the reader would take. The book is well written and stays on topic throughout.
It is a excellent companion to the book on Bonhoeffer written by Eric Metaxas in 2010 which provides a broader base of the man and his history.
It is a excellent companion to the book on Bonhoeffer written by Eric Metaxas in 2010 which provides a broader base of the man and his history.
March 26, 2014
My rating has more to do with its suitability for me than with the content of the book. It is written for someone with more of a theological or philosophical background than what I have.
It was interesting, but parts were a bit of a struggle for me.
It was interesting, but parts were a bit of a struggle for me.
May 23, 2019
Certainly an avenue worth exploring, but seems somewhat revisionist at times.
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