The Rise of Bonhoeffer

This is an audio essay from ⁠Process This, my Substack⁠ — head over there if you want more essays like this one, and subscribe if you want them delivered to you. In this one, I'm going deep on a question that sounds biographical but is actually theological: how did Dietrich Bonhoeffer — the man who stood at a lectern in 1933, surrounded by Nazi-pin-wearing theology students, and told them that the...

Friends, this week we're diving into something that's been eating at me for a while now—how the architects of Christian nationalism have had the audacity to claim Dietrich Bonhoeffer as one of their own. I'm talking about Project 2025 invoking "costly grace" as if Bonhoeffer wasn't writing about them. Here's the thing: when Bonhoeffer penned those famous words in 1937, he wasn't crafting a devotio...

This is an audio essay from my SubStack, Process This. ⁠⁠⁠You can head over here to read or watch the entire essay⁠.⁠⁠ I grew up as a Baptist church planter's kid, and the church gave me everything that matters most to me—my faith, my love of Scripture, my relationship with Jesus. But for over two decades now, I've watched the tradition that formed me transform into something I barely recognize. I...

What is up, Theology Nerds! This one's a banger. At Theology Beer Camp 2025, I got to sit down with an EPIC braintrust of Bonhoeffer scholars—Jeff Pugh, Lori Brandt Hale, Reggie Williams, and Andy Root—for a panel that went deep into Dietrich's life, his communities, and why his witness matters more now than ever. We wrestled with how Bonhoeffer's critique of stupidity as a sociological force, his...

🍺 Bonhoeffer for Dangerous Times | Theology Beer Camp 2025 Preview Are we living in the most dangerous times of our lives? Renowned Bonhoeffer scholar Jeffrey C. Pugh doesn't pull punches in this powerful preview lecture for Theology Beer Camp 2025. Drawing from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's prison writings, especially "After Ten Years," Pugh explores why the German theologian's wisdom is more urgent tha...

What's up Theology Nerds! Today on the podcast I'm joined by Lori Brandt Hale, Bonhoeffer scholar and president of the International Bonhoeffer Society, for a mind-expanding exploration of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's theological journey. Rather than just rehashing the heroic end of Bonhoeffer's story, we dive deep into the continuous threads that run through his work - from his early dissertation on com...

This is an audio version of an essay on my substack, Process This. In it, I unpack Dietrich Bonhoeffer's theological reflection on Jesus' experience in the Garden of Gethsemane, which he sees as a central metaphor for authentic Christian faith. I struggle with Bonhoeffer's conviction that true Christianity isn't found in religious performance or institutional power but in standing with God in suff...

In this illuminating conversation, South African theologian Robert Bonhoeffer shares how Dietrich Bonhoeffer's work influenced the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and continues to speak to contemporary challenges. He describes how Bonhoeffer's theology provided a framework for confronting apartheid's theological justifications, highlighting how the German church struggle offered parallels...

In this episode, Tripp & Jeff are joined by Dr. Jennifer McBride. We explore Bonhoeffer's role in McBride's academic and ministerial journey. As a past president of the International Bonhoeffer Society in North America, Jennifer sheds light on how Bonhoeffer's theology has profoundly influenced her life and work. The discussion covers her introduction to Bonhoeffer at the Southeast White House in...

In this episode, Tripp & Jeff are joined by theologian Dr. Barry Harvey to unpack the profound legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, examining his intellectual journey, theological insights, and the practical implications of his work. Barry Harvey, notable author of Taking Hold of the Real, shares his deep engagement with Bonhoeffer's philosophy, discussions on Bonhoeffer's critical stance on the use of...

In this episode, Tripp & Jeff sit down with esteemed scholar Stephen Haynes, author of The Battle for Bonhoeffer, to explore the complex legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. They discuss Bonhoeffer's early influences, his pivotal works, and his controversial political stances. Haynes also sheds light on common misconceptions about Bonhoeffer, especially in the American evangelical context, and critiques...

In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Pugh and Dr. Diana Rayson have an intimate conversation on the theology and ethics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Discover Dr. Rayson's journey from climate change activism to Bonhoeffer studies and her unique insight into applying Bonhoeffer's theology to contemporary issues like eco-theology and eco-ethics. Delve into Bonhoeffer’s radical ideas, his focus on Christ's presen...

In this conversation, Tripp & Jeff are joined by Dr. Reggie Williams to delve into the transformative journey of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Williams shares Bonhoeffer's origin story as a theologian and his profound engagement with the black church and Harlem Renaissance. They explore Bonhoeffer's initial philosophical and theological perspectives, his experiences in New York, and the radical shift in hi...

In this episode, we explore the profound theological struggle of Dietrich Bonhoeffer from prison. The discussion delves into Bonhoeffer’s critiques of traditional religious constructs and his vision of 'religionless Christianity.' We trace his time of imprisonment and eventual execution by the Nazis. In his letters from prison, Bonhoeffer wrestles with Christianity's relationship to the modern wor...

In this episode of The Rise of Bonhoeffer, we delve into Dietrich Bonhoeffer's life from the collapse of his seminary to his imprisonment, focusing on his involvement in anti-Nazi conspiracy and failed assassination attempts on Adolf Hitler. Bonhoeffer's internal and external struggles under the oppressive Nazi regime are explored, including his banishment from Berlin, the closure of his seminary...

In this episode of 'The Rise of Bonhoeffer, ' we explore Dietrich Bonhoeffer's transition from London back to Germany, focusing on his time at the Finkenwalde seminary. This period is crucial as it shapes Bonhoeffer's most significant works like 'The Cost of Discipleship' and 'Life Together'. The discussion delves into his influences in London, his unfulfilled desire to study under Gandhi, and his...

In the fifth episode of The Rise of Bonhoeffer, we begin in the pivotal year of 1933. As Hitler ascends to power, massive transformations occur in Germany, impacting both society and the church. The episode explores Bonhoeffer's resistance to Nazi influence, the formation and legacy of the Confessing Church, Bonhoeffer's move to London, and his eventual return to Germany to steer an underground se...

The journey through the turbulent years preceding World War II in Germany is a complex narrative that intertwines politics, religion, and individual courage. At the center of our story lies Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a theologian and participant in the resistance against Nazi ideology within the German church. This episode unpacks the depths of Christian antisemitism, the pressures faced within German s...

This episode of The Rise of Bonhoeffer explores Dietrich Bonhoeffer's experiences after returning to Germany. Transformed by his time in New York City, he visits the theologian who first awakened the conscience of the German church to the rising totalitarian idolatry - Karl Barth. The episode tracks his burgeoning role in the German church struggle from his initial involvement in the ecumenical mo...

In this episode of The Rise of Bonhoeffer, we journey with Dietrich to New York City for a year as a Postdoctoral post at Union Theological Seminary. This school year in New York radically changed him, but the spark that lit his theological imagination was outside the classroom. When he arrived in NYC, he brought an overtly intellectual faith he had used to justify a nationalist and militaristic f...

Join Dr. Jeffrey Pugh & Dr. Tripp Fuller as they delve into the complex life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The story flashes forward to a powerful juxtaposition: on February 1, 1933, two days after Hitler became Chancellor, both men addressed Germany. Hitler promised to restore national pride, while Bonhoeffer warned against creating an idol out of a leader. How did Bonhoeffer come to see the Nazi threa...

What is The Rise of Bonhoeffer? In this audio documentary series, we'll dive deep into the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian who dared to stand against the Nazi regime. From his early days as a passionate scholar to his evolution into a bold leader of the Confessing Church, we'll trace Bonhoeffer's path as he wrestled with the moral and ethical challenges of his time. You'll disco...