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In the first part of this interview, Mel speaks with Eric Metaxas, author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: A Righteous Gentile Vs. The Third Reich. Metaxas talks briefly about the name of the book, explaining that Bonhoeffer was a very complex figure. A pastor, Bonhoeffer’s first love was caring for and ministering to people. He was a very serious Christian and obedient follower of Jesus. A prophet for the church, he was constantly encouraging the church to “be the people of God.” Many have said he wasn’t a martyr, just killed for his involvement in plotting to kill Hitler. But Metaxas takes that a step farther and says that he was absolutely standing for righteousness and obedience to Christ, which ultimately led to his death.
As we talk about Metaxas as a prophet, this idea of church vs. nation is one that America is facing today. Just as Bonhoeffer stood against the Nazis taking over the church, today in America we’ve lost sight of how to stand against the government and draw lines to limit power.
Go to Part 2 of this interview.
About Eric Metaxas
In a decidedly eclectic career, Eric Metaxas has written for VeggieTales, Chuck Colson, and the New York Times, three things not ordinarily in the same sentence. He is a best-selling author whose biographies, children’s books, and works of popular apologetics have been translated into Albanian, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, and Macedonian. The Hartford Courant has declared figuring him out “like trying to stick a pushpin in a cyclone.”
More on Metaxas, his career and his books is available at his website, www.ericmetaxas.com.
Go to Part 2 of this interview.
The book was excellent. I appreciated this interview. Thank you for posting it. Hearing the author helped to bring focus to the complexity of this man’s life. Until reading the book my prior knowledge of Bonhoeffer was only knolwedge of his being a martyr. This was and is significant. He was a man raised in wealth and security. His familial upbringing, along with the process of his becoming an intense believer, shaped his character. This character grasped by the Holy Spirit led him to make the choices he made. His experiences were vast for such a short life. I agree with the author that Bonhoeffer was a martyr. He definitely suffered persecution for his beliefs. His actions were motivated by his faith. Bonhoeffer could have chosen an easier life. He was called in a direction that did not appear natural for him to go. His life lived for the Lord required unforseen sacrifice. A great lesson for all!