A review by jamie_o
The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix
5.0
Coming into the book I was familiar with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as I've read Eric Metaxas' thorough biography of Bonhoeffer. Even so, I enjoyed the book immensely. Author John Hendrix is a skilled artist and writer - the book is truly a work of art. He provides an excellent overview of both Bonhoeffer and the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany. There are so many similarities between Nazi Germany and the current state of our country, it's eerie.
Hendrix recounts the failures of the German church to stand up to Hitler, and thus their fall into obscurity. Some pastors even began to baptize babies to Hitler instead of God, and some would end their services not with the Christian Doxology but with Hitler's official salute. This is in stark contrast to Dietrich who was an outstanding example of how Christians should live out their faith, especially during times of persecution. His courage is inspiring. The ending was tastefully done in consideration of the target age group.
"As Dietrich had witnessed in Harlem, a real faith demanded action or it was no faith at all. He knew a church unwilling to stand up for suffering Jews would eventually stand for nothing."
"If you want to know the truth, I pray for the defeat of my nation. For I believe that is the only way to pay for all the suffering which my country has caused in the world."
"Mercy and justice were dethroned, and in their place the Fuhrer enshrined brutality, revenge, and terror."
"the only fight which is lost is that which we give up"
Hendrix recounts the failures of the German church to stand up to Hitler, and thus their fall into obscurity. Some pastors even began to baptize babies to Hitler instead of God, and some would end their services not with the Christian Doxology but with Hitler's official salute. This is in stark contrast to Dietrich who was an outstanding example of how Christians should live out their faith, especially during times of persecution. His courage is inspiring. The ending was tastefully done in consideration of the target age group.
"As Dietrich had witnessed in Harlem, a real faith demanded action or it was no faith at all. He knew a church unwilling to stand up for suffering Jews would eventually stand for nothing."
"If you want to know the truth, I pray for the defeat of my nation. For I believe that is the only way to pay for all the suffering which my country has caused in the world."
"Mercy and justice were dethroned, and in their place the Fuhrer enshrined brutality, revenge, and terror."
"the only fight which is lost is that which we give up"