Fortress Press

"Teachers, students, and careful readers have waited years for such a Bonhoeffer biography – it is accurate, readable, and compact.  The Bonhoeffer portrayed by Christiane Tietz is a Christian theologian—not a hero or a saint—a creative thinker, a courageous and critical lover of his church, and a politically responsible citizen in a perilous time."

"Perhaps Dietrich Bonhoeffer has become too familiar. Christiane Tietz's biography places Bonhoeffer in historical context with enough attention to detail to render him strange to our contemporary ears, making him less vulnerable to misappropriation. At the same time, while placing key points of his theology in context, Tietz reminds us why we are drawn to Bonhoeffer and of his continued relevance today."
 

"An admirable short introduction to the life and thought of Dietrich Bonhoeffer from Germany's leading Bonhoeffer scholar. Accurate in its history, readable in its prose, and wise in its judgments, this book should become the new standard concise biography of the towering German theologian of Christian discipleship and resistance. Strongly recommended."

"This study of Bonhoeffer demonstrates a masterful grasp on the history and the context of Bonhoeffer¹s theological corpus. In Theologian of Resistance, Christiane Tietz takes readers on a biographical journey with Bonhoeffer, from his childhood to his untimely death at the hands of the Nazis. Students encountering Bonhoeffer for the first time, and those very familiar with Bonhoeffer, will find this to be a very rewarding book. In addition to reading Bonhoeffer's theology contextually, Tietz offers readers a brief interaction with the historical, global reception of Bonhoeffer studies. This is a must read for any serious study of Bonhoeffer."

"Christiane Tietz has filled an important niche in the literature on Dietrich Bonhoeffer by writing a short, accessible introduction to this towering figure of the twentieth century. . . . Tietz has a deep and respectful knowledge of her subject, and selects carefully from both well-known and more obscure writings in such a way that provides texture to Bonhoeffer's public persona. Embedded in the biographical narrative are synopses of some his most critical—and complex—ideas. Greatly enabled by the translation of Victoria Barnett, this volume introduces Bonhoeffer's theological contributions to those beyond religious and academic communities."

"As the title suggests, Christiane Tietz's new biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer revolves around three key elements: his life, his thought, and their culmination in his resistance to both the nazification of the German churches and the Hitler regime itself. Employing extensive quotations from Bonhoeffer's writings, Tietz keeps Bonhoeffer's ideas and actions continuously in conversation with one another. The result is a wonderfully concise biography that will no doubt become the primary introduction to Bonhoeffer."