As a boy, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, is portrayed in the new Bonhoeffer movie, as aggressive, energetic and loving. As a man he is depicted as an open minded, eclectic, energetic, fearless, uncompromising, and who stood for and on the truth.
He lived in Germany in the
early part of the 20th century. There were several scenes in the
movie where Bonhoeffer visited several countries including the United States
and the United Kingdom. He even is seen playing the piano in a jazz club in the
U.S.
He belonged to the German Lutheran
Church. He was a seminary graduate. He served as a pastor at the time of the
rise and bloody reign of Adolf Hitler. Unlike many of his fellow pastors he
rejected the church’s subjecting itself to the heavy-handed Hitler. You see
Hitler expected the German people and church to bow in reverence to him instead
of to the true God. Hitler carried out his plan to exterminate the Jewish race
and other inferior persons. Bonhoeffer fought him the best he could.
On the CoachDaveLive.com daily
podcast on Monday,10/18/2024, there was a discussion contrasting the 1st
Century Church and the 21st Century Church. The early church could
be characterized by three C’s: courage, confrontation, and conquest. This body
of believers at that time were active and involved in what was going on in the
culture. Today’s church could also be summarized by 3 C’s: comfort, compromise,
and cowardice. Bonhoeffer, as the movie reveals, fits more in the mold of the 1st
Century than today’s Church.
The movie indicts the modern-day
church, which for several reasons ignores the moral decay and evil rampant in today’s
culture. It uses the Bonhoeffer life story to do just that. Today the Church
remains mostly silent on abortion (the murder of pre-born humans), sexual
deviancy (taught in our schools and widespread on broadcast and social media),
destruction of the family, etc.
Bonhoeffer took a stand
against the evil of his day and went to a premature death at the gallows joyfully.
Will we and our leaders dare emulate this valent soldier?
This Angel Studio production
is currently playing locally (through Monday, 10/25/2024). Everyone, especially Christ-followers, should see
this inspirational film.
