Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born in Breslau, Germany, in 1906. Although during his childhood his family was only nominally religious, he had an early interest in theology and determined to pursue a career as an academic theologian. He was a gifted student and moved through his studies quickly, finishing his dissertation at the age of 21. He then spent a year at Union Seminary in New York City, an experience which had a profound affect on his spiritual life. He was especially influenced by working and worshipping at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. In the American black church, Bonhoeffer discovered a spiritual vitality he had not known before.

After his year in the United States, Bonhoeffer served as pastor of the German church in Barcelona, a church in Berlin, and a German church in London. In the spring of 1934, a group of German Christians organized the Confessing Church — a group of Christians who were determined to resist Hitler, especially to resist Hitler’s efforts to control the church. Bonhoeffer was part of the Confessing Church movement, and in 1935 he became the head of the movement’s seminary at Finkenewalde. The school was small, and Bonhoeffer attempted to live out a true Christian community with his students. In 1937, the school at Finkenwalde was closed by the Gestapo. For the next two years, Bonhoeffer operated an underground seminary, supervising students working illegally throughout eastern Germany.

In 1939, Bonhoeffer accepted a position at Union Seminary in New York City. However, he returned to Germany after less than a month in the U.S. He felt that he could not desert his people at this difficult time and that it was his duty to return to Germany.

In 1940, Bonhoeffer joined the Abwehr, the German military intelligence. This job was actually a cover enabling him to work for the resistance, joining a group of Abwehr agents (including his brother-in-law) in sending messages to the Allies and, eventually, in plotting to assassinate Hitler. He was arrested in April, 1943. In April, 1945, he was hanged at Flossenburg concentration camp, just days before that camp was liberated by the Allies.

Bibliography:

Works by Bonhoeffer: Two books which are a good starting place for exploring Bonhoeffer’s thought are Life Together and The Cost of Discipleship

Works about Bonhoeffer:

The Cambridge Companion to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, edited by John De Gruchy.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Biography by Eberhard Bethge (Bonhoeffer’s student and closest friend)

Links:

http://www.thesumners.com/bonhoeffer/

http://www.dbonhoeffer.org/

http://www.pbs.org/opb/bonhoeffer/index.html