Dr. Stephen Haynes, the Albert Bruce Curry Professor of Religious Studies at Rhodes, will sign copies of his newest book, The Battle for Bonhoeffer: Debating Discipleship in the Age of Trump (Eerdmans, 2018), Oct. 30. Open to the public, the event is 6-7:30 p.m. at Novel bookstore located at 387 Perkins Ext.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945) was a German theologian and pastor, who opposed the Nazis during World War II. Many secular, radical, liberal, and evangelical interpreters have shaped and molded the legacy of the theologian to suit their own agendas, according to Haynes.
In his book, Haynes examines “populist” readings of Bonhoeffer, including the acclaimed biography Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas. He also includes in his analysis the November 2016 election of Donald Trump and the “Bonhoeffer moment” announced by evangelicals in response to the US Supreme Court’s 2015 decision to legalize same-sex marriage.
A recognized Bonhoeffer expert, Haynes is coauthor of Bonhoeffer for Armchair Theologians and has written articles about Bonhoeffer and American culture for the Huffington Post and The Christian Century magazine.