Quote

It is much easier for me to imagine a praying murderer, a praying prostitute, than a vain person praying. Nothing is so at odds with prayer as vanity.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Age: 39 †
Born: 1906
Born: February 4
Died: 1945
Died: April 8
Pastor
Philosopher
Poet
Resistance Fighter
Theologian
Breslau
Bonhoeffer
Praying
Easier
Prayer
Imagine
Prostitute
Persons
Murderer
Person
Odds
Nothing
Vanity
Much
Vain

More quotes by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Image
Nothing is so at odds with prayer as vanity.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
Fruit is always the miraculous, the created it is never the result of willing, but always a growth. The fruit of the Spirit is a gift of God, and only He can produce it. They who bear it know as little about it as the tree knows of its fruit. They know only the power of Him on whom their life depends
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
Love asks nothing in return, but seeks those who need it. And who needs our love more than those who are consumed with hatred and are utterly devoid of love.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
The church has an unconditional obligation to the victims of any ordering society, even if they do not belong to the Christian community.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
One act of obedience is better than one hundred sermons.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
When a man really gives up trying to make something out of himself - a saint, or a converted sinner, or a churchman (a so-called clerical somebody), a righteous or unrighteous man,...and throws himself into the arms of God...then he wakes with Christ in Gethsemane. That is faith, that is metanoia and it is thus that he becomes a man and Christian.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
Cheap grace is the idea that grace did it all for me so I do not need to change my lifestyle. The believer who accepts the idea of cheap grace thinks he can continue to live like the rest of the world. Instead of following Christ in a radical way, the Christian lost in cheap grace thinks he can simply enjoy the consolations of his grace.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more disastrous is his isolation.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
While it is good that we seek to know the Holy One, it is probably not so good to presume that we ever complete the task.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
The Church is her true self only when she exists for humanity. As a fresh start, she should give away all her endowments to the poor and needy. The clergy should live solely on the freewill offerings of their congregations, or possibly engage in some secular calling.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
The cross is God's truth about us, and therefore it is the only power thatcanmakeustruthful.Whenwe know the cross we are no longer afraid of the truth.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
Right speech comes out of silence and right silence comes out of speech.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
Jesus' call to bear the cross places all who follow him in the community of the forgiveness of sins. Forgiving sins is the Christ-suffering required of his disciples. It is required of all Christians.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
The exclusion of the weak and insignificant, the seemingly useless people, from a Christian community may actually mean the exclusion of Christ in the poor brother Christ is knocking at the door.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
Prayer is the supreme instance of the hidden character of the Christian life.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
Temptations which accompany the working day will be conquered on the basis of the morning breakthrough to God. Decisions, demanded by work, become easier and simpler where they are made not in the fear of men, but only in the sight of God. He wants to give us today the power which we need for our work.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
Time is the most precious gift in our possession, for it is the most irrevocable. This is what makes it so disturbing to look back upon the time which we have lost. Time lost is time when we have not lived a full human life, time unenriched by experience, creative endeavor, enjoyment, and suffering. Time lost is time not filled, time left empty.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
Every wedding must be an occasion of joy that human beings can do such great things, that they have been given such immense freedom and power to take the helm in their life's journey.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Image
Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you your life
Dietrich Bonhoeffer