The Christian Century

For the first time in the United States,” said the book blurb, “a number of Christian thinkers gathered to analyze Bonhoeffer’s theological achievement for publication.” So eight of us claimed—I was editor—in The Place of Bonhoeffer, which in 1962 sold for $4.50 ($2.25 paperback), and now, Google will tell you, can be found for $55.00. I dug it out of its virtual time-capsule to prepare for a panel responding to Martin Doblmeier’s impressive film Bonhoeffer, which can be seen on PBS on February 6, two days after the late German theologian’s 100th birthday.

All but one of the seven then-young contributors to Place—Peter L. Berger, George W. Forell, Reginald W. Fuller, Walter Harrelson, Franklin Littell, Jaroslav Pelikan and Franklin Sherman—are still with us and are influenced by Bonhoeffer in various ways.