By the Rev. Thomas Johnson | Special to the Courier

For the past 15 years the Claremont Lutheran community remembers the German Lutheran pastor/theologian and anti-Nazi dissident, Dietrich Bonhoeffer with a luncheon and a speaker in April, the month Bonhoeffer was killed.

This year’s free and open to the public event at 12:30 p.m. April 16 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1700 N Towne Ave., Claremont features Rick Steves, best known for his travel writing, but also a keen student of history. Steves will talk about Bonhoeffer in the context of the development of fascism in Europe in the 1930s and ’40s and what it can teach us about our current political situation here in the United States.

Bonhoeffer spoke out against Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime with courage and conviction, resulting in his execution on April 9, 1945, just two weeks before Allied forces liberated the prison where he was being held.

His example of moral courage and nonviolent resistance continues to be an inspiration to all of us today. Bonhoeffer was a major influence in the ministry of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Recommended reading to learn more about Bonhoeffer’s life and theology include “Letters and Papers from Prison” (composed while he was imprisoned for two years) and “The Cost of Discipline.”

Among the topics Steves will explore are:

• What is fascism?

• Why was Hitler able to become a dictator in Germany?

• How did people of faith like Bonhoeffer find the courage to resist?

• Parallels to today’s political climate.

• What role does fear play in enabling authoritarian movements?

An interfaith panel will respond to Steves’ presentation. Panelists include Rabbi Jonathan Kupetz from Temple Beth Israel in Pomona, Bishop Dave Nagler from Pacifica Synod (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America), and Nina Fernando, executive director of Shoulder to Shoulder, a national Muslim/Christian advocacy organization.

There will also be an opportunity audience discussion and Q&A.

Together we will reflect on how fear can contribute to the rise of authoritarianism, and how individuals and communities can respond with courage, truth, and a commitment to human dignity.

The Thursday, April 16 event at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1700 N Towne Ave., is free and open to the public, though donations are appreciated. Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m., with the program following from 1:30 to 3:30. Email tjohnson@cst.edu for more information, to register for the event or receive the Zoom link, or for a recording afterward.

“The essence of optimism is not its view of the present, but it is the source of hope and strength which it gives us to meet the future.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The Rev. Thomas Johnson is a retired Lutheran pastor and professor at Claremont School of Theology.