Standing Firm: Bonhoeffer's Urgent Wisdom for Our Dangerous Times

Sep 21, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Jeffrey C. Pugh, a Bonhoeffer scholar and theologian, draws on Dietrich Bonhoeffer's challenging writings to highlight the urgency of his wisdom in today’s chaotic context. Pugh argues that we must see through the lens of the oppressed and warns that collective stupidity can be as dangerous as evil itself. He emphasizes the church's vital role in fostering discernment and resisting the allure of safety that often leads to authoritarianism. It's a compelling call for Christians to stand firm amidst uncertainty.

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INSIGHT

See From The Perspective Of The Oppressed

Bonhoeffer urges Christians to adopt a 'view from below' and see history from the perspective of the oppressed.
God is encountered among the suffering, so solidarity requires vulnerable listening and presence.

ANECDOTE

How Bonhoeffer Became A Personal Hero

Jeffrey C. Pugh first encountered Bonhoeffer in college and saw him as a heroic figure who recognized and resisted Nazism.
Bonhoeffer's example shaped Pugh's theological and moral formation in graduate school.

ADVICE

Practice Resistant Empathy Daily

Resist injustice through 'resistant empathy' like bringing food or physically bearing witness to oppression.
Place your body or voice in small acts of resistance to build the muscle of public witness.

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