Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a pastor and theologian who lived and worked in Nazi Germany. Bonhoeffer lived a courageous life, and is considered one of the most influential Christians of the 20th century, even though there are sadly many Christians who know nothing or very little about him.
Bonhoeffer was one of the Christians brave enough to speak out against the holocaust, when the general German Christian response at the time was apathy or even complicity. Bonhoeffer had a rare boldness, a fiery courage that only God can give. He spoke sternly against the church's apathy concerning the holocaust. Perhaps one Bonhoeffer's most controversial statements was something he said to a group of seminary students he was teaching. He remarked that "Only those who cry out for the Jews may also sing Gregorian chant." Only those who cried out on behalf of the oppressed could sing in church. This concept is reminiscent to the daring words of Amos the prophet, speaking on God's behalf:
Amos 5:23-24
"Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing
stream."
To not speak out on behalf of the oppressed was hypocrisy, and God made it clear that all our worship means nothing to Him if we do not speak His truth and share His love. We are as those who honor Him with our lips, but worship other gods with the rest of our bodies. We may praise Him with our song, but deny Him by our silence.
Bonhoeffer also had strong words about abortion. In one of his most important works, Ethics, he writes...
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