Watch the video of this episode on YouTube here.
On the 120th anniversary of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s birth (February 4th), Russell sits down with Charles Marsh—author of Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer—to ask why Bonhoeffer still captivates Christians and what his witness demands from us now. Together, they explore how Bonhoeffer recognized the moral collapse of the German church earlier than most, and why he insisted that confessing Christ’s lordship must sometimes give way to concrete, costly action in history.
The conversation widens to the pastoral dilemma Bonhoeffer never escaped: when is it enough to proclaim the gospel faithfully, and when must a preacher speak directly to the crisis at hand? Marsh reflects on the tension between shaping consciences slowly and naming injustice plainly, and how Bonhoeffer struck a balance.
Marsh ultimately tells the story of his own father, a Mississippi pastor who preached “Amazing Grace for Every Race” at real personal cost, and of figures like Will D. Campbell and Fannie Lou Hamer, whose Christian witness fused tenderness with moral clarity. Their lives, Marsh suggests, reveal that faithfulness may not be loud, but it is never neutral.
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Charles Marsh
- Brother to a Dragonfly by Will D. Campbell
- Fannie Lou Hamer
KEEP UP WITH RUSSELL:
- Sign up for the weekly newsletter where Russell shares thoughtful takes on big questions, offers a Christian perspective on life, and recommends books and music he’s enjoying.
- Submit a question for the show at questions@russellmoore.com
- Subscribe to the Christianity Today Magazine: Special offer for listeners of The Russell Moore Show: Click here for 25% off a subscription.
“The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today
Executive Producer: Clarissa Moll
Host: Russell Moore
Producer: Leslie Thompson
Associate Producer: McKenzie Hill
Senior Producer: Matt Stevens
Audio engineering by Kevin Morris
Video producer: Sam Cedar
Theme Song: “Citizens” by Jon Guerra
