Meditations on the Cross [Paperback]

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1998

The cross and the resurrection were central themes for Bonhoeffer's theology. These excerpts from sermons and letters contain his personal and faithful words about the crucifixion and the power of the cross for all Christians. Meditations on the Cross is ideal for devotional reading and personal reference.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Making sense of Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection may be the most difficult and necessary task facing any Christian, not only during Lent, but throughout the year. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor who was executed by the Nazis in 1945, constantly wrote about these themes, and made better sense of them for 20th-century Christians than almost anyone else. Meditations on the Cross, edited by Manfred Weber, collects his letters and sermons on the vexing topic of Christ's Passion. Each chapter is brief, focused, uplifting, and devastating, like any good devotional should be.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

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Product Details

• Paperback: 106 pages
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press; 1st edition (February 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0664257550
• ISBN-13: 978-0664257552
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #407,080 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born in Breslau in 1906. The son of a famous German psychiatrist, he studied in Berlin and New York City. He left the safety of America to return to Germany and continue his public repudiation of the Naz*s, which led to his arrest in 1943. Linked to the group of conspirators whose attempted assassination of Hitlerr failed, he was hanged in April 1945.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Meditations on the Cross., September 1, 2000

By 

Thordur Gudmundsson (Reykjavik Iceland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meditations on the Cross (Paperback)

This book is has selection of texts from Dietrich Bonhoeffers sermons, lectures, books and his letters from prison. Some of the texts are short (only few lines) while others are up to 13 pages long. But here you find theology of the cross, and that in a very broad sense. Here's a short text from this book from page 49: "Jesus is not a human being but the human being. Whatever happens to him also happens to human beings as such; it happens to everyone; and thus also to us. The name Jesus embraces all of humanity and all of God." What happened on the cross happens to humanity, human beings as such, that means all of us! The cross, resurrection and overcoming death was central in Dietrich Bonhoeffers theological work so here's just a glimpse of what one of the greatest theologian in the 20th century said and wrote but highly enjoyable. I only wonder if it wasn't possible to have this book a bit longer? It is 94 pages long and it does not take a long time to read it. But it's a good book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aid to Bible Study, February 20, 2006

By 

Dr. John Laughlin (Glenn Dale, MD) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Meditations on the Cross (Paperback)

Each small chapter starts with a Bible paragraph and subsequent remarks by Bonhoeffer that can spruce up any bible study as well as be used on its own by a study group.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stew for the soul, March 26, 2007

By 

Robert D. Flanagan (Bedford, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Meditations on the Cross (Paperback)

If you like your soul food meaty, filling and full of vegetables, then you'll like Meditations on the Cross. This is a challenging book to read in that it is deep writing. Bonhoeffer, who was hung by the Nazis in April of 1945, was truly an exceptional Protestant theologian and an exceptional man who tried to live out his faith in truth and honest. In this book, you will find short readings that offer compelling insights into the the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ. My only criticism is that I wish Manfred Weber, the editor, put the dates of each piece at the beginning not the end. I keep flipping to the end of the reading to see if Bonhoeffer wrote the piece before or during his prison time. Even though this book is challenging but very rewarding.