Rating: 
Summary: God and Galileo
Review: This is all about God. It's the story of blindly following religious belief. It's really a wonderful work and is great for shoring-up the faith of all existing believers. I give the book five stars, I guess, because I'm one of them. I'm a believer. Thus, I fervently recommend Dietrich Bonhoeffer/G.K.A.Bell's, The Cost Of Discipleship to everyone, not just "the choir". Having said that, I also know "I am, because I think". If God only wanted us to believe and not think, he would not have supplied us with a brain. Thus, I also recommend that everyone also read a book by Norman Thomas Remick called West Point: Character Leadership Education...., a book that can broaden and strengthen The Cost Of Discipleship's impact on people's lives by bringing the realities of life into concert with The Cost Of Discipleship's message, joining and reconciling revelation and reason. As a believer and way-of-life subscriber to The Cost Of Discipleship's message, I still think we can have both God and Galileo, so to speak.
Rating:
Summary: To encourage and entreat others to experience Bonhoeffer
Review: This is an intense work,though not as intense as some of Dietrich's other works.This book lives up to it's title in every way,he pulls no punches as he relates the scriptures to real life and expounds upon the teachings of Jesus.He plainly teaches that there is a cost to following in the footsteps of Christ,just as Christ himself taught that Christ must be first and there is no compromise.This work is so intense,even Dietrich himself later in life,wondered if he was too blunt.Definitely not for those who enjoy sugar coated watered down messages,but if you've got the guts to read it,it will change your life!
Rating:
Summary: There is definitely a cost to discipleship
Review: This is one of my five all-time favorite books. If you saw my copy, you would know through the pen and highlighter marks that I took copious notes as I read. And I'm not one who just highlights everything. Bonhoeffer states biblical truth in a straightforward manner. Just some of my favorite quotes:* "Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession...grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate." * "Christianity without the living Christ is inevitably Christianity without discipleship" * "The life of discipleship can only be maintained so long as nothing is allowed to come between Christ and ourselves--neither the law, nor personal piety, nor even the world." Bonhoeffer was willing to practice what he preached. He had opportunities to escape from the prison where they kept him (for his part in an assasination plot of Hitler), but he stayed and was an example to everyone, even the guards. Himmler had him killed soon before the war ended. Too bad. It would have been nice to have had Bonhoeffer in the latter half of the 20th century. Whether or not I agree with every doctrinal idea he had, though, this is a book that has been a challenge in my own life, and it's one that I ought to reread more often.
Rating:
Summary: Well organized, easy to read, very informative
Review: This man speaks on a topic unheard of in our modern churches today. He speaks of "cheap grace" and "no belief without obedience." This is an excellent book and belongs in any Christ-loving library.
Rating:
Summary: The Cost of carrying one's cross
Review: To be a part of the World and yet not be of this world? To not cloister oneself from the unredempted, but yet live to please Jesus. That question should be thought of as one reads this work. The book has a twenty-two page biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and memories G. Leibholtz of his friend Dietrich Bonhoeffer. These works serve as a letter of recommendation to the reader. The author of this work taught that true disciples of Christ take up their cross daily, and the writer of this work practiced what he preached. A true follower of Christ seeks the praise of God and not the praise of men. Yes, Bonhoeffer left Germany briefly in Germany in 1939, but he felt compelled to return to Germany. He sought to do God's will in Nazi Germany. While other "Christians" changed their theology to not offend the Government authorities, he did not. The text of this book was first published in 1937; This work may provoke you to search your soul. What cross God may be calling you the reader to carry. He knew discipleship went beyond repentance and the seeking of God's forgiveness. Taking up one's cross had meaning to this man. Yes, Bonhoeffer could have waited out the war in the United States, but he could not and be consistent with the arguments presented in his book titled the Cost of Discipleship.
In this work the author bemoans those who seek out the acceptance of man over the seeking to do the will of God. He does not think highly of those who try to separate themselves from the world, so to avoid the trials and temptations of the day to day life. The Life of Martin Luther is brought up. Before his rebellion from the Roman Catholic Church, Luther lived a "cloister" life. He did not have to deal with the day to day temptations the general populace; Living and working separately from those who raise families and work in commerce. Not because the world is in itself good and holy, but because there is where the Christian is called. The author describes Christian living as hand to hand combat.
The main theme of this book is who rules your life? Is it Jesus or your family? Do friends, things or employment ultimately determine what you think or behave in your life? Does your theology conform to the things of this world or to the teachings of Jesus Christ? Bonhoeffer reflects on the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. He then goes on to teach how the Disciples learned by what Jesus taught. No he does not deal with their weakness and/or failures, but with the final product that was wrought in part through the teachings of Jesus Christ and seeking to live a godly life. This work also tries to answer the question: what it means to be part of the body of Christ? What is the difference to be a part of the visible and invisible community? What it means to be a true Saint and one who is made into the image of the Christ.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Influential Book in my Christianity, save scripture
Review: When I became a Christian I was starved for guidance on how this life would look. There was no one to disciple me, so I resorted to dead men. Bonhoeffer and C.S. Lewis were the people that discipled, challenged and helped me to fall in love with my Lord more and more. This book was essential to this developement. Bonhoeffer aqudaciously shows us how costly and precious the grace of Jesus Christ really is. How our faith is very much an all or nothing pursuit, and is utterly neglected if not viewed this way. Bonhoeffer moves the reader throughout the sermon on the mount and enlightens us to realize that Christianity is far from a joke, and the living our lives are far from an acceptable option. It is truly the book of the disciple, while subtly declaring the awesomeness of God's work on the cross, Bonhoeffer undeniably describes our part in that cross. Leaving the reader with a choice, to become overwhemingly consumed with devotion to the Lord, or to reject the joy of the grace of God and continue to pursue our pointless lives. Bohoeffer does not declare anything special, he just delaclares absolute scripture, and shows us that Jesus was serious when he spoke to us, and is serious still.
Rating:
Summary: Life Changing
Review: When I first read this book I was brought to my knees and tears! I realized that the call that Jesus gave us was so intense and that my life had been so sheltered. As I prayed to God to bring great trials in my life, I knew that I was praying for pain and that scarred me. Yet, today I know that this book transformed my life. I made a deeper commitment to my Christian Life and have never looked back. This book is a cornerstone of my faith. It is a must read for anyone who wants to be used by God.
Rating:
Summary: Best Theological Work of the 20th Century
Review: Whether you are a conservative or progressive Christian, there is something for you in this amazing work. Even for non-Christians, this book has a lot to say about what it means to live a truly committed life. It's not an easy read, but it's so very worth the time. This is very arguably the greatest theological work of the 20th Century.
Rating: 
Summary: Misguid book that only makes Christianity look like a cult..
Review: While there are merits to this book, this author unfortunately goes too far in his theology, giving us a pretty impossible form of Christianity. I've studied the "Death to self" doctrine and the related biblical phrases, and there are significant problems with it, which I will not go into detail here(I will say that the biblical phrases that inspired this doctrine have a lot more to do with Persecution and Martyrdom than discipleship). The form of Christianity Bonhoeffer suggests however has inspired other 'cult' leaders who have told followers to 'cut themself off' from the world and their families to 'follow' Christ. If one studies Dietrich's life story, however, he himself was a hypocrite in this regard, as he was quite involved in worldly politics and close to his family.
One is safer reading the historical and theological contexts of the bible--such as an unbiased commentary-before following the words of someone else.
Rating:
Summary: You Won't Go Wrong With Bonhoeffer
Review: WWII gave us a new definition of evil, but it also gave us some bright spots. I've always heard that light shines brightest in the darkness. If you have not read this book . . . GET IT! This is the book that made Bonhoeffer my favorite theologian.
|
