Customer Reviews

A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Daily Meditations from His Letters, Writings, and Sermons

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I have enjoyed the writings of Bonhoeffer for decades and I have been led to think through many of his ethical situations and his choices between peace and the need of the victims. On this 100th anniversary of Bonhoeffer's birth it would be easy to run out an buy all his works. Yet, here, in one very-well-edited manual are the best of the best excerpts of his writings, his thoughts, his heartache, and his reflections on God. Written in the midst of passionately living out the Christian life, Bonhoeffer did not have the gift of reflecting back on his writings in his old age. History has given that task to us. Was he always right? Did every ethic make sense? Was it proper to get involved in assasinating Hitler? Time, scholars and those of us who live through the same decisions delight is walking alongside Bonhoeffer and wrestling with the same hard choices and Bonhoeffer helps us to catalog our thoughts. This volume will never be a Classic like his individual works, but it WILL be a GREAT Companion that will help in taking his writings around the world.

This book of daily meditations has been very meaningful for me, probably made more so since I had already read his book, The Cost of Discipleship, which is a must to fully understand all that goes into his strong, teaching message. He lived daily for what he believed and proved it by dying for it, too, at the hand of the Nazis. He was an amazing disciple for Christ, and his message needs to be read even more today. This is not lighthearted reading but has a deep message on how to live for Christ and the freedom it brings.

The introdution by Wallis is a gem. My wife and I read several days at at time and find this an excellent way to read DB's original works and decide which of his books speak most directly and clearly to us. Testament, Letters and Discipleship have proven our favorits, while Ethics remains too doficult and laborious.

Bonhoeffer's writings are organized into a daily devotional -- it works! Try it if you've been an "Upmost for His Highest" devotee.

These short excerpts from Bonhoeferr's writings are a great way to combine your daily prayer with reflections from a true master of reflections in a time of turmoil.

After reviewing 5 classic Devotionals by Brother Lawrence, Mary Tileston, Thomas A Kempis, John Baillie & Joan Chittister, I was easily attracted to this edition of excerpts from Bonhoeffer's Ethics, Letters from Prison & Cost of Discipleship. It followed an earlier addition of Devotionals of "A Year With C. S. Lewis."

I eagerly look forward to complete all readings throughout from his rarely read ETHICS & Letters From Prison! If any influence can be chosen from Martin Luther King's biographies other than Howard Thurman, it would have to be Bonhoeffer. Both believed in Dietrich Bonhoeffer's statement: "When Christ calls a man, he calls him to come and die."

After my loss of two good Pastors who related to both M.L. King and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I can be sure they are getting richly BLESSED by conversation in the Great-not-yet! They are Dr John Claypool and Dr Earl Stallings, both pastors from St Lukes & FBC of Birmingham! They too were deeply embedded within the thoughts of Schweitzer, Gandhi, Thurman, and King! "May Jahweh-God also provide us another great influence for non-violence!"
Retired Chaplain, Fred W Hood "Barbara377" (Fayetteville, GA United States)