Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Meditation and Prayer - Softcover

Most often the public life and published legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer fascinate people; that is, the outcome of his love and labor are seen and admired. Behind this life sacrificed at age thirty-nine when executed by the Nazis, and beneath this literary corpus of thousands of pages, lies a vibrant conversation with and dynamic walk beside Jesus Christ. Peter Frick is here offering the reader the opportunity of having that same vibrant conversation and dynamic walk that inspired Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Jesus Christ, living and present, engages us here as we `meditate and pray' using the words of Bonhoeffer, with short, yet significant, gems of spiritual wisdom . . . read on! John W. Matthews President of the International Bonhoeffer Society English Language Section In our busyness we long for a compelling invitation into prayer, long to breathe the presence and mercy of God, long to be opened to the One who is truth. The fruit of years of immersion in Bonhoeffer's writings, this book offers excerpts from across the span of his life, each a jewel of sustained contemplation. Peter Frick has given us a great gift; I will return to it over and over.The Rev. Lisa E. Dahill, PhD Assistant Professor of Worship and Christian Spirituality Trinity Lutheran Seminary Columbus, Ohio Peter Frick's sensitive compilation of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's devotional prose bears witness to Bonhoeffer's exemplary faith and embodiment of `costly grace.' Frick reminds us that Bonhoeffer's spirituality is essential to his legacy. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Meditation and Prayer is a gem of Bonhoeffer scholarship.Josiah U. Young III Professor of Systematic Theology Wesley Theological Seminary Peter Frick, the noted Bonhoeffer scholar and member of the Board of Directors of the International Bonhoeffer Society, English Language Section, has constructed here a valuable collection of the most inspiring writings to be found and savored in the faith-filled theological legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This book is a treasure of meditative texts, carefully selected and arranged with a view to guiding readers' reflections on nearly every aspect of one's faith and in the multiple challenges to be faced by Christians as they undertake to follow Jesus Christ in prayer, meditation, and courageous action on behalf of those with whom God has made common cause in their Christian life together. Through these creative texts, Frick has provided compelling pathways for readers to engage in the daily meditation on God's Word in Scripture and in the exemplary life of Jesus Christ that Bonhoeffer himself had recommended to his seminarians, then scattered in the battlefields of a world at war. The t Bonhoeffer has gifts to share about self-reflection, about self-deception, about silence, about a community praying for one another, about temptation, about suffering. Frick invites his readers to absorb them one day at a time, focusing on one thought throughout the day or even for several days.Bobz Book Reviews thecatholicspirit.com Readers might think of putting this book aside for next Lent.Emmanuel Magazine

Every Christian needs spiritual direction," writes Peter Frick. Regular prayer and meditation help to shape a healthy Christian life. While noting that Dietrich Bonhoeffer was more than a spiritual mentor, Frick utilizes his words to shape reflections that will guide readers deeper into the heart of meditation. Bonhoeffers prayers read like a contemporary psalter: they are praise, lament, wisdom. In these pages, readers are invited to contemplate silence, community, solitude, truth, grace, sin, worldliness, and eternity, and are encouraged to open their hearts to meditation. Peter Frick is associate professor and academic dean at St. Paul's College. He teaches a variety of subjects, including courses in Western religions, theology, and biblical studies. Frick recently published A Handbook of New Testament Greek Grammar (2007) and edited Bonhoeffer's Intellectual Formation (2008). Frick is a member of the international Bonhoeffer Society and a member of the editorial board responsible for the publication of the new standard edition of the Bonhoeffer works. His main interest lies in the intersection of philosophy and theology, both in ancient and modern times. "