"The last temptation is hope..."

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Compromise and collusion devastatingly characterized the German Christian Church during the Shoah, of which Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a vocal member. Only he and a very few others would not compromise. American-trained at Union Theological Seminary in the days of "the Social Gospel" he was an unlikely initial candidate for martyrdom for the Lord Jesus Christ. Returning to his native Germany, he parted company with the German Christian Church, establishing the evangelical church a small light against a great dark sky. Hitler was well aware of Bonhoeffer's activities, threatening and placing obstacles in his way where he could. During the war, The German Evangelical Church, which became known as the Confessing Church stood against government paid pensions for pastors, state-affiliation, Nazi-control of Sermons and Church activities and Nazi-controlled seminary training, devising his embattled evangelical seminary. As Bonhoeffer, with more moderate Germans in the Abwher (the original german central Intelligence agency) and others sought peace by making overtures to the Vatican and other world powers to stop the war, the Gestapo accused Bonhoeffer and several others such as von Stauffenberg of treasons and plotting Hitler's assasination. Bonhoeffer was executed by hanging; but only after willing refusing escape in order to aid other prisoners in dire need. At the end of his life, having given up all for his stand, he wrote, "The last temptation is hope..." He was executed at Flossenberg Prison, on April 9,1945. A few weeks later, Hitler would commit suicide, and the Third Reich would fall. In addition to his social Gospel leanings and an emphasis on living the true Gospel, Bonhoeffer at least brought up the question regarding whether the murder of a person infinitely vile would ever be right in light of command not to kill.

Giving virtually all that he owned, had and looked forward to [he was engaged to a young woman when arrested], he stood in utter faith, although not always Evangelical orthodoxy. His writings include his questionings of God's ways while maintaining his utter trust: "Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine. Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am thine."