Elisabeth Sifton Book order

During Hitler's Third Reich, few Germans risked opposing his tyranny, especially in defense of law and faith. This work highlights two courageous figures: pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his brother-in-law Hans von Dohnanyi, shedding light on the immense challenges of resistance. Christine Bonhoeffer Dohnanyi, Hans's wife and Dietrich's sister, played an essential role in their efforts. Bonhoeffer consistently resisted Nazi attempts to control Germany's Protestant churches, while Dohnanyi, a lawyer in the Justice Ministry and Wehrmacht's counterintelligence, aided victims, documented Nazi crimes for future accountability, and participated in plots to assassinate Hitler. Their unwavering commitment to their cause and those they helped persisted even after their arrest in April 1943, culminating in their execution on Hitler's orders in April 1945, shortly before the regime's fall. Bonhoeffer's posthumous writings gained international recognition, yet Dohnanyi's significant contributions remain largely unknown, despite his pivotal role in the resistance and in involving Bonhoeffer in anti-Hitler conspiracies. The authors provide new insights and details about their extraordinary collaboration, honoring Bonhoeffer's moral integrity and theological legacy, along with Dohnanyi's commitment to civic virtue in a morally bankrupt state.

Written during the prolonged world war between totalitarian and democratic forces, this book takes up the question of how democracy as a political system can best be defended.

Forged during the tumultuous but triumphant postwar years when America came of age as a world power, The Irony of American History is more relevant now than ever before. Cited by politicians as diverse as Hillary Clinton and John McCain, Niebuhr's masterpiece on the incongruity between personal ideals and political reality is both an indictment of American moral complacency and a warning against the arrogance of virtue. Impassioned, eloquent, and deeply perceptive, Niebuhr's wisdom will cause readers to rethink their assumptions about right and wrong, war and peace.

Set against the backdrop of 1943, the narrative explores the origins of the Serenity Prayer, penned by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. His daughter, Elisabeth Sifton, highlights the contributions of those who championed social justice, racial equality, and religious freedom during tumultuous times. She reflects on her father's warnings against fascism and the moral challenges faced by America, emphasizing the importance of liberal leadership in shaping a nation's conscience. The book serves as a meditation on the significance of prayer amidst societal upheaval.