Dietrich Bonhoeffer is known for his radical life example of obedience and his poignant writings made in his too-short-life (1906-1945) A German Christian, Lutheran Pastor and Theologian, he’s considered today to have had one of the most creative minds and vivid ways of expressing faith in the 20th century.  He believed that faith is lived in the world – not in fleeing form the world, or in pretending it’s other than what it is, but in living fully and obediently the call to follow Christ in our world that we call home.

 

It was this faith that brought him back from a safe teaching position in New York during WW2 to his German homeland.  It was that faith which pushed him to engage in active resistance to the Nazi regime & dictatorship.  Ultimately is was in his conviction of the supremacy of the Kingdom of God as described by Jesus of Nazareth that led him to conclude that is was his Christian responsibility to participate in an assassination attempt on Hitler, which seemed the only, and best way, to end the evil that was dominating Europe and the world at that time.  Exposed and caught, Bonhoeffer, along with others died having succeeded in authentically living out their convictions, but failing to stop Hitler.

 

Hi example of faithfulness is radically challenging, even disturbing when you consider the extent to which he concluded the love of God pushed him to act.  And yet he was as common as he was extraordinary, a man who experienced God’s presence not just on the mountaintop or in academia, but also in the spirit-filled worship of a church in Harlem and the everyday events of life in community.  In his book Life Together, written as a tool for empowering Christian community in a clandestine and illegal Confessing Church seminary in Nazi Germany intending to train pastors for active resistance, he wrote about the ministry, gift, call, and challenge of listening.

 

The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them.  Just as love to God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren [and sisters] is learning to listen to them.  It is God’s love for us that He not only gives us His Word but also lends us His ear.  So it is His work that we do for our brother when we learn to listen to him.  Christians, especially ministers, so often think they must always contribute something when they are in the company of others, that this is the one service they have to render.  They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking.

 

Many people are looking for an ear that will listen.  They do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are talking where they should be listening.  But he who can no longer listen to his brother will soon be no longer listening to God either; he will be doing nothing but prattle in the presence of God too.  This is the beginning of the death of the spiritual life, and in the end there is  nothing left but spiritual chatter and clerical condescension arrayed in pious words.  One who cannot listen long and patiently will presently be talking beside the point and be never really speaking to others, albeit he be not conscious of it.  Anyone who thinks that his time is too valuable to spend keeping quiet will eventually have no time for God and his brother, but only for himself and for his own follies.  pp. 97-98

 

Our western, evangelical and progressive, flavor of Christianity often emphasize action and speaking, an active faith which respects our spiritual convictions and cultural views.  And yet in our rush to do Christian, or Christ-like, things, we overlook our call to be Christian and Christ-like.  We live in a time of constant noise.  Some consider it cacophony and distraction, others  think of it as informative and empowering.  And yet across the board people identify themselves as feeling increasingly alienated and alone.  How often do you listen to others?  Do you feel like you are listened to?  As you go about your day today be mindful that listening can be just as revolutionary and radical as acting.

 

Here’s a link to a movie made about the life and faith of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.