Luther And Bonhoeffer Comparison

Luther was the pioneer of Reformation in the 16th century. Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor in the 20th century. I am a fan of Bonhoeffer because one year ago, I read one of his articles talking about the church’s attitude (as well as the Christian’ attitude) to Christian Jews. In the time under Hitler’s control, when almost all the people in Germany were brain-washed by the Nazi thinking and were full of hatred for the Jews, he asked the churches to accept those Christian Jews. It may be easy to love our neighbors, but it is hard to love our enemies. Bonhoeffer loved those “enemies” because he recognized them as his brother and sisters in God. It is even harder to love these “enemies” by against the authorities and sacrificing one’s own life. In my opinion, he was a fighter for justice and love; and a preacher who did proclaim God’s words.

Luther published the 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church to against the wrong doings of the Roman Catholic. He was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic and had to escape. Bonhoeffer was publicly against the Nazi and the German Evangelical Church which supported the Nazi government. He then was banned from Berlin and forbid to speak in Public. Unlike Luther who had the protection from the Saxony rulers, Bonhoeffer had to face the disagreement from the church and the persecution from the Nazi government. He later was arrested and sacrificed. Though Luther and Bonhoeffer lived in the different ages, I find the similarities of their personalities, faith, courage, and passion. I cannot stop thinking that what if Luther was in Bonhoeffer’s position living in the 20th century, and vice versa, Bonhoeffer were in the 16th century? My guess is that maybe the history will be