Tag Archives: bonhoeffer

President Trump pauses tariffs, markets surge | Denison Forum

If the world made your life an island

The recent volatility of an economy most of us have no way to influence highlights the degree to which you and I are “catching and not pitching” in the modern world. Think about it: How much of your life is under your direct control? Do you personally determine your income? Do you grow your own food and chop your own firewood for heat? Can you fix your car if it breaks down? Can you treat yourself if you get really sick?

If the world made your life an island, how long and how well would you live on it?

We all want to believe we are in charge of our lives, a “will to power” impulse that goes back to the garden of Eden and the temptation to be our own god (Genesis 3:5). Advertisers know this, which is why they pitch us products and services that claim to help us control our finances, circumstances, health, and happiness. But the next downturn, disaster, illness, or disappointment will pull back the curtain on our illusion.

The roof collapse at a Dominican Republic nightclub that killed at least 184 people, including two former major league baseball players, is a tragic metaphor for our times. None of us knows when we will be next.

This is where you’d expect me to recommend faith as an antidote to our fears. A sign I recently saw comes to mind: “Accept what is, let go of what was, have faith in what will be.”

But in a broken and chaotic world, having faith is not enough.

It can make things worse rather than better, in fact.

What Einstein got wrong about the universe

You and I have a binary choice today: We can define our identity with reference to ourselves and/or other people, or we can do so with reference to God. If we decide that our secularist society is right in rejecting God from consideration, we are left with some version of humanity defining humanity and the cosmos.

Even Albert Einstein fell prey to this “category mistake” fallacy by claiming that physical laws are the universe’s own form of self-expression. If we refuse to interpret creation through the lens of the Creator and his revealed truth, we are forced to interpret it through itself. This is what we do with our own quest for identity as well when we eliminate God from the equation.

How did this work for Einstein? The great scientist was known for being unfaithful to both his wives and for his failures as a father. How is it working for our broken society today?

By contrast, David could testify: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust” (Psalm 18:2 NKJV). Why should we do the same?

It is a fact that “the Lᴏʀᴅ reigns” and “is exalted over all the peoples” (Psalm 99:1, 2), whether “all the peoples” acknowledge this fact or not. Charles III is king of the United Kingdom whether every person in his kingdom recognizes his rule or not. Those who reject his authority only exempt themselves from what he could do in and for their lives.

In the same way, sacrificial obedience to the King of the universe positions us to experience his transforming and sanctifying power (cf. Romans 12:1–2). Being our own king limits us to our finite, fallen capacities.

Bonhoeffer on “the wisest course for the disciple”

So, having faith helps us respond to our challenges only if the object of that faith is able to respond to our challenges. Otherwise, misplaced faith does more harm than good. We can take the wrong medicine in sincere faith, but it can still poison and kill us.

Having faith in ourselves, others, or our world builds our house on sand. When the inevitable storms strike, our house will inevitably fall (Matthew 7:26–27). Building the same house on the rock of Jesus’ word, by contrast, enables it to stand firm (vv. 24–25). Our Lord was adamant: “It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63).

Yesterday was the anniversary of the 1945 martyrdom of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In a website paper I wrote for the occasion, I quoted the great theologian’s statement in The Cost of Discipleship: “It will always be true that the wisest course for the disciple” is “to abide solely by the Word of God in all simplicity.”

Bonhoeffer staked his life and his eternity on this fact. When he was led away to his death just a week before the Allies liberated his prison camp, he told another prisoner, “This is the end—but for me, the beginning—of life.”

How can we make his empowering faith in God our own?

How to be “powerful in his power”

The English poet Ralph Hodgson noted, “Some things have to be believed to be seen.” St. Augustine similarly observed, “Faith is to believe what we do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.”

So, name the reason you need faith in God today. Decide that you want to trust in his power and wisdom over your own. Now ask him to help you “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:17), and he will (Mark 9:24).

The British essayist Joseph Addison (1672–1719) assured us:

“The person who has a firm trust in the Supreme Being is powerful in his power, wise by his wisdom, happy by his happiness.”

How firm is your trust in your Father today?

Quote for the day:

“Yet, in the maddening maze of things / And tossed by storm and flood / To one fixed trust my spirit clings / I know that God is good!” —John Greenleaf Whittier

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“Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.” film is a powerful biopic on courage and faith | Denison Forum

What is the movie “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.” about?

Directed by Todd Komarnicki, Bonhoeffer is a compelling film, with impressive directing, gripping twists and turns, and sensational music. The story carves a riveting path through beautiful sets, contrasting the inner turmoil and danger of Bonhoeffer’s career as a pastor who stood for the Jews, spoke out against Nazism, and plotted against Adolf Hitler.

The audience is educated on the life of Bonhoeffer via flashbacks at key junctures of his life. For example, the film highlights his time in the US when he attended Abyssinian Baptist Church where he gained profound insight into the church, racism, and the Christian call to pursue justice.

Released on November 22, 2024, Bonhoeffer received a respectable box office of $5 million and broadly positive reviews: an A from CinemaScore and 62 percent from Rotten Tomatoes. Bonhoeffer is rated PG-13 and includes smoking, light drinking, and brief depictions of violence.

How do we stand up for what’s right?

Before seeing this film, I had recently read Metaxas’ acclaimed biography, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. I also read a good chunk of Bonhoeffer’s posthumously published Ethics and wrote an essay about his metaethics. Bonhoeffer’s life and thoughts will forever inspire me.

My generation scoffs at the idea of real heroes—we feel like genuinely ethical people don’t exist, especially those in power. So, we need history to cut through the noise to show that Christians can stand up against evil without compromising our values. We can identify applicable, eternal, biblical truth for our time, following Christ even in impossible moral dilemmas. Bonhoeffer was wealthy, well-connected, and somewhat famous as a star theologian before the Nazis rose to power. So he had everything to lose.

Nevertheless, he lost everything, including his life, for Christ.

Bonhoeffer portrays the historical person who stood up in the face of racist, antisemitic, genocidal, authoritarian, and anti-Christian oppression by the Nazis in a way that represented the complexities of such a stand. In a torrent of modern political chaos and rising antisemitism, this film is timely.

The minor shortcomings of “Bonhoeffer”

Some have critiqued Bonhoeffer for its historical inaccuracies. The movie never mentions his fiancé, Maria von Wedemeyer Weller, and adds minor scenes or shows events out of order. These should be forgiven. All biopics must show events in dramatic, expedient ways. However, I think Bonhoeffer overstepped proper artistic license in two key ways.

First, the movie portrays him as directly involved in the assassination attempt by helping plan Hitler’s killing. Although he certainly knew about these plans, it’s unlikely he had so detailed a say in plotting the attempt on Hitler. Scholars debate to what extent he was involved in the assassination attempt (PDF) and to what degree he joined the Abwehr to avoid being conscripted to continue his spying and theological work. It seems Bonhoeffer morally approved of Hitler’s assassination but otherwise retained his life-long pacifism. So, calling Bonhoeffer an assassin rather than just a spy seems inappropriate. As such, for example, the movie poster’s portrayal of Bonhoeffer holding a gun was categorically a mistake.

Second, the movie sometimes highlights Bonhoeffer’s passionate sermons and downplays his nuanced and complex theological and philosophical stances. For instance, it shows Bonhoeffer quickly switching stances from pacifism to assassinating Hitler in passionate platitudes—as though he made the switch in a moment’s emotional reflection. In short, Bonhoeffer focuses on his pastoral side and at the expense, sometimes, of his intellectual brilliance. To my mind, Bonhoeffer’s careful commitment to nuance is crucial to understanding him and his courageous stand against the Nazis. And nuance is doubly important in a time of such modern political and social unrest.

Despite this, the movie expertly presents an exemplary historical figure, a man of God who stood against Hitler and lost his life because of it. I bring these discrepancies to light because I love Bonhoeffer, but don’t let that detract from the fact that the film is remarkable.

Bonhoeffer is an encouraging, powerful reminder to follow Christ to the cross, no matter the cost. I highly recommend you see the film, bring family and friends, and support Angel Studio’s continued mission of producing artful Christian media with biblical messages.

The Christian Nationalism controversy

As a final word, some have twisted this movie and Bonhoeffer’s life to serve nationalism. Let’s state clearly: We at Denison Forum do not support Christian nationalism. It’s a tool of Satan to draw away Christians from Christ, to make us fear and sin in our fear. When we see the erosion of historically Christian American values, Satan will tempt us to despair and put our hope in anyone who can rescue us or save our country. Whereas, in truth, Christ is our only savior.

Bonhoeffer’s descendants, scholars, and most of the actors from the film have publicly denounced nationalistic use of Bonhoeffer’s life.

Acting out of fear, instead of biblical responsibility and wisdom, will start us on the same sort of slippery slope that put Hitler in power. Bonhoeffer did not, in his writings, justify Christian violence despite approving of the attempts on Hitler’s life (after intense intellectual and passionate wrestling with the idea). He had a complex view of Christian ethics, wherein Christians must sometimes act without clear knowledge of right and wrong but trust God’s overwhelming grace to cover our ethical actions, which we must base on God’s will.

Bonhoeffer seemed to view the assassination of Hitler as a necessary protection of the oppressed, a singular, exceptional moment to use violence. He fought against German nationalism by word, deed, and truth, eventually acquiescing to use violence against one man, not violence in general, even to protect the innocent.

In such a confusing political climate, I take comfort in knowing God’s grace over my limitedness. Knowing what’s happening and what to do in such a tumultuous time feels overwhelming and impossible. It takes mountains of wisdom and faith—I have mountains of neither. Thankfully, for all my limitedness, God’s grace covers my lack of faith and wisdom when I misstep.

Pray for Christ’s self-sacrifice, humility, and courage in such a tumultuous time—the qualities displayed magnificently by our brother Bonhoeffer.

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