Customer Reviews

Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Freedom (Radio Theatre)

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Loved it. I could listen to these CDs again and again. This is a 3 CD volume of the life and ministry of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, probably most well known for his book The Cost of Discipleship. Bonhoeffer was a German Christian faced with the very difficult decision of his position as a German citizen as well as his calling as a citizen of another Kingdom. Bonhoeffer chose to put Christ first and it cost him his life.

The historical value alone of these CDs is worth the buy -- they do an outstanding job of giving the listener a real feel for what was really happening in Germany at the beginning of the 1900s -- which was the center for almost all world affairs for the first half of the twentieth century! I would highly suggest these CDs to any individual, but especially to those younger students middle school and above who are hungry to not only learn about the tumultuous times in history, but also want to be challenged with how they should live in our current cultural crisis. We have a lot to learn from the life of Bonhoeffer and these CDs are an outstanding way to introduce this man of God to another generation.

Recently, especially with their release of the Chronicles of Narnia for Radio Theatre, Focus on the Family has drawn in high praise for the excellence of their productions. The actors, sound effects, scripts, pacing, and scores are all calculated to draw the listener into the world of the story. The Cost of Freedom is no exception to their standard! I bought it for my best friend who is a World War II fanatic and interested in the life of Bonhoeffer, and she was so moved by the recording that she lended it to me saying I HAD to listen. Bonhoeffer's life as it stands alone is compelling enough, but coupled with the imagination that radio theatre encourages, I found it not just enjoyable but overwhelming in its impact. The end left me in tears. Just a warning, it may not be suitable for younger children as the content and the intensity of the story may scare them. But for older children and adults, this is a great opportunity for an engaging and enjoyable journey through one very brave man's life.

A must-have for those interested in Bonhoeffer's life or curious to know about it!

All of the Focus on the Family Radio Theater dramatizations are first-class entertainment. They use top-notch voice actors, music and sound effects. But of all of them, Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Freedom is far and away the best. It uses all of the above-mentioned factors to tell a real-life story that is powerful and moving.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, born in 1906, came from a distinguished German family. But from an early age he chose not to follow in his father's academic footsteps but instead to pursue a calling in the ministry. Although disturbed by the treatment of blacks that he had witnessed during his time in seminary in the United States, he was nevertheless convinced that nothing like that could happen in Germany and that the religious leadership should stay out of politics. But shortly after he finished seminary, returned to Germany and entered full-fledged ministry Hitler came to power. Disturbed by the discrimination against Jews that began almost immediately, Bonhoeffer's outspoken criticism of these policies alienated him from the German church that was coming increasingly under Hitler's control. But Dietrich Bonhoeffer refused to silently sit by and watch his beloved Germany descend into madness, and his brave actions eventually cost him the ultimate price.

This is not a happily-ever after story; there are no happy endings here. But this is a powerful, true story about one man's brave stand for righteousness in the face of overpowering evil, even including actual sound clips of Hitler's speeches. Highly recommended.

The Cost of Freedom was a great radio theatre episode that kept my family entranced through a long car ride. The story of Bonhoeffer was one in which I had a passing knowledge of but nothing in depth. Listening to the CD really brought to life the major events that he experienced in his life. The actors were marvelous and the story thrilling. I recommend this for anyone!

This is simply a great listen. Our kids were spellbound for the 3 hours of radio theatre. Can't wait to hear more!

I purchased Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Freedom for my teenage son as he has grown up listening to Focus on the Family's Adventures in Odyssey stories at bedtime. It is a captivating presentation and great history lesson about life in Germany during the rise of Hitler. The compelling audio drama captures the imagination and challenges the individual to, like Bonhoeffer, stand for Christ no matter the cost!

This wonderful Radio Theatre format pulls you right into the story & setting of pre-WWII to WWII history, telling a part of history few know. Bonhoeffer is a man that every Christian, if not every person should know about. He is one of the few to truly make a stand against Hitler from the beginning of his rise to evil scourge, and does so with no misconception that his life is on the line. However, to Bonhoeffer there is no question as to whether the fight is right or just, only the question of how best to serve God in the fight.

After listening to this seemingly short telling of the story, I'm planning on finding a book on Bonhoeffer to get more of the details. This man was a truly great example of standing for your beliefs, and his stand against the Nazi oppression of true Christianity is amazing. I highly recommend this Radio Theatre presentation to all!!!

I'm glad I bought this audio recording because it was very interesting and I learned a lot about Bonhoffer's life. However, when I bought it, I thought is was actually a recording of a book about his life, so the dialogue and "radio theater" style threw me off a bit. It was a good recording and Bonhoeffer was an amazing man, but if you already know about Bonheoffer's life, you'd be a little dissapointed because the story wasn't deep.

It's also a good recording for kids to listen with parents because it's in a dialouge format. I suggest they listen with parents so mom and dad can explain about Hitler, etc. and parents can explain why Bonheoffer's courage was so admirable.

Loved this audio version of the life of one of the most inspirational men of the twentieth century.
Highly recommend this to Bonhoeffer followers.

Excellent telling of Dietrich bonhoeffer's story Focus on the Family Radio Theater is SO professional in their presentations.