The Fierce Urgency of Bonhoeffer’s Final Questions: In 5 Acts

Alan Jacobs of Baylor University writes, “I can’t remember when I have read a more compelling biography. . . An extraordinary account of an extraordinary life.” He’s referring to Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Charles Marsh, who is professor of religious studies at the University of Virginia and director of the Project on Lived Theology.

In the lecture below, drawn from the beautifully crafted book, Professor Marsh walks through five scenes in Bonhoeffer’s life, from (1) his childhood in a close-knit Germany family, to (2) his encounter with the Roman church in Italy, to (3) his transformation in New York City, to (4) his “new monasticism” in Finkenwalde, to, finally, (5) his final days in a Gestapo prison.