“Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.” film is a powerful biopic on courage and faith

Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin., is a thrilling biopic about the influential German pastor and theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Jonas Dassler) and the moving true story of his perilous stand against Nazism. Produced by Angel Studios, Bonhoeffer delivers. The film comes up short in some ways but nevertheless relays a critical message for our time of cynicism, political polarization, and rising antisemitism. The more folks find out about the remarkable Bonhoeffer, the better.

What is the movie “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.” about? 

Directed by Todd Komarnicki, Bonhoeffer is a compelling film, with impressive directing, gripping twists and turns, and sensational music. The story carves a riveting path through beautiful sets, contrasting the inner turmoil and danger of Bonhoeffer’s career as a pastor who stood for the Jews, spoke out against Nazism, and plotted against Adolf Hitler. 

The audience is educated on the life of Bonhoeffer via flashbacks at key junctures of his life. For example, the film highlights his time in the US when he attended Abyssinian Baptist Church where he gained profound insight into the church, racism, and the Christian call to pursue justice.

Released on November 22, 2024, Bonhoeffer received a respectable box office of $5 million and broadly positive reviews: an A from CinemaScore and 62 percent from Rotten Tomatoes. Bonhoeffer is rated PG-13 and includes smoking, light drinking, and brief depictions of violence. 

How do we stand up for what’s right? 

Before seeing this film, I had recently read Metaxas’ acclaimed biography, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. I also read a good chunk of Bonhoeffer’s posthumously published Ethics and wrote an essay about his metaethics. Bonhoeffer’s life and thoughts will forever inspire me. 

My generation scoffs at the idea of real heroes—we feel like genuinely ethical people don’t exist, especially those in power. So, we need history to cut through the noise to show that Christians can stand up against evil without compromising our values. We can identify applicable, eternal, biblical truth for our time, following Christ even in impossible moral dilemmas. Bonhoeffer was wealthy, well-connected, and somewhat famous as a star theologian before the Nazis rose to power. So he had everything to lose. 

Nevertheless, he lost everything, including his life, for Christ. 

Bonhoeffer portrays the historical person who stood up in the face of racist, antisemitic, genocidal, authoritarian, and anti-Christian oppression by the Nazis in a way that represented the complexities of such a stand. In a torrent of modern political chaos and rising antisemitism, this film is timely.

The minor shortcomings of “Bonhoeffer” 

Some have critiqued Bonhoeffer for its historical inaccuracies. The movie never mentions his fiancé, Maria von Wedemeyer Weller, and adds minor scenes or shows events out of order. These should be forgiven. All biopics must show events in dramatic, expedient ways. However, I think Bonhoeffer overstepped proper artistic license in two key ways. 

First, the movie portrays him as directly involved in the assassination attempt by helping plan Hitler’s killing. Although he certainly knew about these plans, it’s unlikely he had so detailed a say in plotting the attempt on Hitler. Scholars debate to what extent he was involved in the assassination attempt (PDF) and to what degree he joined the Abwehr to avoid being conscripted to continue his spying and theological work. It seems Bonhoeffer morally approved of Hitler’s assassination but otherwise retained his life-long pacifism. So, calling Bonhoeffer an assassin rather than just a spy seems inappropriate. As such, for example, the movie poster’s portrayal of Bonhoeffer holding a gun was categorically a mistake. 

Second, the movie sometimes highlights Bonhoeffer’s passionate sermons and downplays his nuanced and complex theological and philosophical stances. For instance, it shows Bonhoeffer quickly switching stances from pacifism to assassinating Hitler in passionate platitudes—as though he made the switch in a moment’s emotional reflection. In short, Bonhoeffer focuses on his pastoral side at the expense, sometimes, of his intellectual brilliance. To my mind, Bonhoeffer’s careful commitment to nuance is crucial to understanding him and his courageous stand against the Nazis. And nuance is doubly important in a time of such modern political and social unrest.

Despite this, the movie expertly presents an exemplary historical figure, a man of God who stood against Hitler and lost his life because of it. I bring these discrepancies to light because I love Bonhoeffer, but don’t let that detract from the fact that the film is remarkable. 

Bonhoeffer is an encouraging, powerful reminder to follow Christ to the cross, no matter the cost. I highly recommend you see the film, bring family and friends, and support Angel Studio’s continued mission of producing artful Christian media with biblical messages. 

The Christian Nationalism controversy 

As a final word, some have twisted this movie and Bonhoeffer’s life to serve nationalism. Let’s state clearly: We at Denison Forum do not support Christian nationalism. It’s a tool of Satan to draw away Christians from Christ, to make us fear and sin in our fear. When we see the erosion of historically Christian American values, Satan will tempt us to despair and put our hope in anyone who can rescue us or save our country. Whereas, in truth, Christ is our only savior. 

Bonhoeffer’s descendants, scholars, and most of the actors from the film have publicly denounced nationalistic use of Bonhoeffer’s life.

Acting out of fear, instead of biblical responsibility and wisdom, will start us on the same sort of slippery slope that put Hitler in power. Bonhoeffer did not, in his writings, justify Christian violence despite approving of the attempts on Hitler’s life (after intense intellectual and passionate wrestling with the idea). He had a complex view of Christian ethics, wherein Christians must sometimes act without clear knowledge of right and wrong but trust God’s overwhelming grace to cover our ethical actions, which we must base on God’s will. 

Bonhoeffer seemed to view the assassination of Hitler as a necessary protection of the oppressed, a singular, exceptional moment to use violence. He fought against German nationalism by word, deed, and truth, eventually acquiescing to use violence against one man, not violence in general, even to protect the innocent. 

In such a confusing political climate, I take comfort in knowing God’s grace over my limitedness. Knowing what’s happening and what to do in such a tumultuous time feels overwhelming and impossible. It takes mountains of wisdom and faith—I have mountains of neither. Thankfully, for all my limitedness, God’s grace covers my lack of faith and wisdom when I misstep. 

Pray for Christ’s self-sacrifice, humility, and courage in such a tumultuous time—the qualities displayed magnificently by our brother Bonhoeffer.