Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

Eric Metaxas is a well-known figure in the circles of American Christianity and conservative thought and culture. His writing, which has centered on biographies of major Christian thought-leaders (William Wilberforce, Martin Luther, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer), has been well-received by a broad range of readers across many denominational and theological backgrounds. While he is lesser known for his other writing than his biographies, he has added substantial works in the fields of apologetics, cultural and theological reflection, and children’s literature. While he writes and speaks as a Christian, he has usually avoided being associated with any particular denomination, preferring to speak of himself as a “mere Christian” (a turn of phrase from the Christian thinker C.S. Lewis, describing one’s faith as consisting of those elements agreed upon by all Christians, regardless of denominational tradition).

After his writing, Metaxas is best-known as a speaker. He is the organizer of the popular “Socrates in the City” events in New York City, which use public dialogues to invite and engage prominent voices in thought and culture. He also works as a radio/podcast host on his eponymous program, The Eric Metaxas Show, and as a speaker for conservative events. As his conservatism has grown to embrace not only cultural issues but also politics in the 2020s, he has come to be viewed as a more controversial figure due to his vocal support of Donald Trump and his outspoken anti-vaccination stance during the Covid-19 pandemic.