Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas
Week 3: Hitler's Rise and the Church's Response
Read Chapters 5–7 of Bonhoeffer. Key biblical texts: Daniel 3:16–18; Acts 5:29.
Previewing Week 3 of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 14-week guide when you’re ready.
The year 1933 was the hinge on which German history — and Bonhoeffer's life — turned, as Hitler's ascent to power forced every German Christian to decide what, exactly, they believed.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Metaxas describes Hitler's rise to power not as a sudden coup but as a gradual, legal seduction — carried out through propaganda, fear, and the exploitation of genuine grievances. Looking at the specific steps Metaxas narrates, where do you see moments when the German public, church, or leadership might have stopped the slide? What made them fail to act?
2.Just two days after Hitler became Chancellor, Bonhoeffer gave a radio address warning Germany about the danger of a leader (Führer) who becomes an idol (Verführer — seducer). The broadcast was cut off before he finished. What does it mean that one of the earliest and clearest voices of opposition came from a 26-year-old pastor and theologian? What gave him clarity that others lacked?
3.Metaxas introduces the concept of the 'German Christians' (Deutsche Christen) — a movement that sought to merge Christianity with National Socialist ideology, including adopting the Aryan Paragraph that would have excluded Jewish Christians from the church. How did this movement represent a fundamental theological error, not merely a political one? What were they actually claiming about Christ and Scripture?