Theologian of Resistance: The Life and Thought of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

by Christiane Tietz, Victoria J. Barnett (Translation)

Since Dietrich Bonhoeffers death in 1945, he has continued to fascinate and compel readers as a theologian, witness, and martyr. In this new biography, Christiane Tietz masterfully portrays the interconnectedness of Bonhoeffers life and thought, theology and politics, discipleship, witness, and resistance, tracing the path from his childhood to his imprisonment and execution. Brief, lucid, and accessible, Tietzs new account brings Bonhoeffers story and work to life in a vivid retelling, unfolding his important and widely read texts in the process. The volume also includes previously unseen pictures.

Genres: Theology, Biography, History, Religion, Nonfiction

150 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[James Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slim biography but remarkable how well it recounts the key moments in light of the overall story of Bonhoeffer in his world of 1930s and early 40s in Germany.

Her cautions about how we can mistakenly read into Bonhoeffer our own concerns (118-121) or think we see connections by reading backwards from his prison letters into his early writings is wise advice. I particularly enjoyed her breakdown of what Bonhoeffer meant by "religionless Christianity" on 101.

[Caleb Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written, thick in detailed book yet small in size. A great introduction to the life and thought of the great Bonhoeffer

[Drew Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very short yet comprehensive scholarly biography of the life and thought of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This is an excellent and trustworthy place to begin exploring Bonhoeffer's life and catch a taste of his essential writings. This short book will surely whet the appetite and lead to further exploration of Bonhoeffer's work.

[Alex Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic introduction and summary to Bonhoeffer including lengthy quotes from Bonhoeffer and his contemporaries.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

[David Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful short bio on the life and teachings of Bonhoeffer. Especially in the rise of the current American political sphere, it's been good for me to read about this man, considering how different sides of the political and theological sphere have used him. It's short, so of course, there is more to read and to understand, and I likely will not have a full comprehension of how he's been used and how I should think of his work. Clearly, this man loved God and the Church and wanted man to live rightly within the World. It's worth the read!

[Max Emanuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sehr harter Schinken, schwer zu lesen, trotz nur 134 Seiten sehr schwierige aber trotzdem interessante Biographie. Leider halt überhaupt nicht meine Art von Buch weswegen ich mich fast schon zwingen musste es zu lesen. Habe es zum Abitur 2022 zu meiner Auszeichnung vom philologischen Verband RLP bekommen und nun kann ich wenigstens sagen, dass ich es gelesen hab. ;)

[Jadon Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise and compelling, this is the place to start if you’re interested in Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Tietz weaves life and thought together in a wonderfully responsible way that doesn’t bend Bonhoeffer to the wind of a particular faction or ideology. Metaxas could never.

[John Funnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the serious thinker who desires to know more about Bonhoeffer but does not have the time to extensively study his writings - this biography is simply the best option.

Accurate, compact and well balanced.

The book comes with a helpful timeline and a wonderful paper on the dangers of misappropriating Bonhoeffer.

This book teases out some of Bonhoeffer’s key ideas and not without some critical engagement.

Superb!

[J.I. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In spite of being concise, "Theologian of Resistance" is a very good biography of Bonhoeffer. In the span if just a mere 120 pages Tietz narrates Bonhoeffer's entire life and points to the most important insights of and changes in his theology. Whether one reads this book without any prior knowledge of Bonhoeffer or reads it "just to make sure one hasn't overlooked anything important," the reader will come away satisfied. Even thought there are already 4 lengthy biographies of Bonhoeffer, this short one is therefore a welcome addition.

The book is based on top-notch scholarship that guarantees an accurate introduction and provides a good explanation of the difficult concepts Bonhoeffer uses at times. The combination of narration and conceptual presentation helps the reader to understand Bonhoeffer's theology in context. Bonhoeffer's own insistence that ethics and theology must always be done in response to the concrete command of God in light of the specific historical situation makes such a contextual presentation indispensable.

I have personally engaged in a thoroughgoing reading of Bonhoeffer's work and a study of his thought. Reading Tietz's biography at the end of this study is like a recap of both Bonhoeffer's life and thought in a way that is manageable and at the same time comprehensive. And yes, there were things I had overlooked.

[Oliver Radcliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a concise and helpful biography of Bonhoeffer, with frequent reference to the development of his theological, political, and ethical thought. It is readily apparent to anyone who reads Bonhoeffer that his thought develops, some would even say drastically changes, across his life. His first works, which he wrote during his academic training when he was on track to be a professor of theology, were extremely technical and philosophical in nature; in his "middle" phase, he wrote some of the most spiritually enriching Christian works ever penned when he was involved in a monastic-like illegal seminary in Hitler's Germany; and, finally, the so-called "later Bonhoeffer" of the prison letters said a number of controversial things about living in a "world come of age" and "non-religious Christianity." Tietz cogently shows how Bonhoeffer's theology, which is marked by obvious changes but perhaps even more obvious consistencies, was very much rooted in his turbulent experiences--both individual and social/political. At the end of the book, Tietz surveys the various ways in which Bonhoeffer's life and writings have been put in the service of different--sometimes widely divergent--theological, political, and ethical imaginaries. She also gives her opinion concerning what we might learn from Bonhoeffer today when it comes to doing theology that is Christo-centric, ecclesiological, modern, and political all at the same time (a worthy feat!). The up-and-coming "third generation" of Bonhoeffer's interpreters now carries his insights into new social contexts, and time will tell how this fascinating man will speak to us in the future.

[Michael Nichols · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I’m most happy about with this work is the length. It’s concise, just 120 pages. So when I tell people about Bonhoeffer now, I can gladly point them to this rather than the other 500+ page biographies on offer. One downside of the work is that it includes a significant number of block quotes, usually citing Bonhoeffer. So at times it reads like a collection of small samplings of Bonhoeffer rather than a biography about him. But, in general, this is a helpful companion for those interested in Bonhoeffer.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't a sensationalized page turner on Nazi resistance or even a biography of an interesting person. It is, as it says, a history of his theological development. As such, it is slightly less dramatic, but I think important to balance out the heroic stories. I appreciate theologians whose theologies developed both with their studies and maturity and with their real lives lives.

[Samuel Munday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great short biography. Very well written, covering his life and thoughts broadly whilst still being comprehensive. Unbiased. Great read.
The more I learn about Bonhoeffer, the more I realize I will need to read more. This book well presents the controversial, confusing, yet brilliant theologian.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really appreciate the brevity, factuality, and neutrality of this biography compared to others which receive more popular attention. The final epilogue in particular does a great job of briefly addressing some common misinterpretations of Bonhoeffer's ideas.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent, short review of Bonhoeffer.

[Jane Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent summary of the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in very readable text supplemented by photographs.

[Kyle Tabet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise, insightful, and a good introduction to the life of Bonhoeffer while providing some nuanced opinions on his reception and increased popularity.

[István Márton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is presented in this book by letting him to speak for himself. The author does not interpret his actions, but recommend us a very important rule to Bonhoeffer's biography: you have to know his life to understand his works, and the other way around, you need to read this works to understand his life.

[Luke Mohnasky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this biography in tandem with a Berlin trip with my university. It was wonderful to explore all the life of Bonhoeffer while reading about him in this accurate biography. This book serves as both a history on Bonhoeffer and a look into his motivations and thoughts throughout his life that influenced all he did. This book is unbiased in it's interpretive approach.

[Mark Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easily-read, historical and theological view of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life and thought. A remarkable man, one of his time certainly, but one with a clear and firm view of the church, ethics and - above all - of commitment to Jesus Christ. Inspirational and challenging.

[Van Jones]

Excellent short book on Bonhoeffer's life.