I am opening a new (to me) biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer because I want to examine his life from the lens of a historian and biographer who does the research properly. I am wanting to engage Bonhoeffer again through his writings as well.

This biography is by Charles Marsh called Strange Glory. (And for everyone who will respond to me on social media, I am about to test you and see if you actually read this next statement so you don’t ask me the question on social media: YES, I HAVE READ THE BIOGRAPHY BY METAXES. It is not a true biography. It is a hagiography for evangelical, nationalistic purposes.)

I have done work in Bonhoeffer’s Cost of Discipleship (the American publishing title) and will be picking up Life Together soon.

Early key influences on Bonhoeffer’s theology were in university. He learned from academic giants of his day. Adolf von Harnack was semi-retired, but Bonhoeffer was able to engage in conversation with him from time to time. One of influences of Harnack that Marsh pointed out was Harnack’s search for the essence of the gospel.

Harnack worked through the earliest documents available to him and learned from the practices and teachings of the earliest Christian communities. His conclusion: the profound message is GOD IS LOVE.

This was a truth predating the church councils and the formulation of doctrines and creeds. Harnack wanted to reclaim the message for the institutional church.

We need the radical love of Christ to transform us all over again. To move through the creeds and councils and let the essence of Christ and his gospel renew us and transform us all over again.