Eric Metaxas on Glenn Beck show for his new book Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy

This interview with Eric Metaxas, author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy (PPMS) is absolutely fascinating. 

At one point Metaxas is talking about the German Church climate during the first decades of the 20th century being characterized by theological liberalism and how Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Barthian, stood courageously against that tide, much as he would later stand, even more courageously, against the tidal wave of National Socialism. Referring to that climate, Beck interjects to say, “In many ways what we have here now.” But our current theological climate is really nothing like Germany of the late 19^th and early 20^th century. It is one of sawdust, prom-date Jesus, easy believe-ism. I doubt our generation could stomach the kind of raw, gritty issues that those apostates (the theological liberals of turn of the last century) wrestled with in coming to their erroneous conclusions. They were braver men and women than us. 

FASCINATING 

At another point, Beck points out how, part of Hitler’s gimmick was to pepper his diatribes with vague references to Jesus Christ and God in order to mollify the nominally Christian public. And the amazing irony is that Beck, a professing Mormon, doesn't seem to see the parallels to his own Restoring Honor rally. One thing I learned reading PPMS is that Adolf Hitler utilized two sirens in wooing the German people- restoration of national honor (following the nationally humiliating outcome of WWI ) and a return to conservative morals (a slight aimed at the “degenerate” Bolsheviks), all under the guise and to the glory of a loosely defined God. The only problem was that, according to Metaxas, Hitler’s Christ turned out to be Nordic not Jewish and his God turned out to be gods and of the old Germanic pagan type- gods of war and power, brutality and subjugation. As Beck referenced, in his closing statement, America’s core value of freedom, I felt a chill to imagine just what type of god he is thinking of.

I don’t intend this blog to be about the controversial figure of Glenn Beck or about the misguided movements to whom he pontificates, and hopefully I will find better things to write about in the future. But, I find it amazing that, while I see so many parallels, in reading PPMS, between pre-Nazi Germany and present America, I also see Beck and his popularity as an example of those parallels. And that was before I saw this interview. Ironically, Beck seems to see, not himself, but his enemies as that pre-Nazi equivalent. 

But his gross attempt, during the interview, to co-opt Dietrich Bonhoeffer as one who stood against social justice is exactly the kind of ploy Hitler might have tried. I’m not sure Beck completely read the book (PPMS) which he so effusively plugged. It is, by the way, brilliantly written and worth repetitive readings. But if he had read it, he might have also read the forward by Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC, which, of course, is the church Beck’s interviewee attends. Reviews of Keller’s recent book, Generous Justice, usually contain, in the opening line, references to the very same pastor’s public support of social justice- seemingly Glenn Beck’s favorite scapegoat. Of course, Tim Keller advocates justice as he believes Christ would and not as a political program or ploy. As an aside, it is Keller’s approach to politics which I am learning to embrace, after years of being angry, frustrated and eventually indifferent over the subject. That is, a Christian’s response to politics ought to be eager engagement while not at all committing to any person, party, or agenda other than that of Jesus Christ and His rightful, righteous sovereignty.

Some people might interject and say that Glenn Beck, after all, is a Christian, a follower of Jesus, what more can one expect of such an influential figure? Surely a win for conservative morality is a win for Jesus. I mean, he’s against socialist health-care, abortion, and the other hot-button issues. That’s what we (Christians) want, right? Or, even if he is a professing Mormon, and not a Christian, his influence is good for the cause of Christ because it helps restore our godly heritage (whatever that means). I would respond by asking those people if their loyalty lies with an agenda, a person, a party, or Christ? If it is Christ, then I would appeal to them that any form of co-belligerency with non-Christians for social and political ends is futile, distracting from what truly matters, and possibly even destructive to our witness to a world well-versed in guile and hypocrisy.

A positive outcome of this ironic interview was how Metaxas was able, repeatedly, to say the name of Jesus Christ on national television and to present various forms of the Gospel interwoven in his answers. Maybe even someone like Glenn Beck can be wooed by Christ’s amazing grace. I was, surprisingly.