Daring to Do What is Right - The Story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Terence Copley

Rating:

Typical of all books in the Faith in Action series, this book summarises the life and actions of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and offers plenty of thought provoking questions and activities to challenge the reader.

Well illustrated with photos and colour drawings, it is attractively presented and should appeal to most KS3 pupils, with the lower ability KS4 being able to gain from it too.

The book seems to focus, perhaps too much, on dates and places and, although it raises the ‘can a Christian be involved in a plot to kill?’, question I’m not sure it provides enough evidence for the reader to ‘give reasons for their answer’!

The ‘what do you think?’ boxes, dispersed throughout the text, ask challenging questions that can be discussed with the whole class or set as small group or individual tasks. As well as causing a reflection on faith, these will also act as a stimulus for discussion on war and pacifism, and create opportunities for pupils to consider whether they ‘dare to do what is right’.

The ‘Things to Do’ questions at the back of the book contain a variety of tasks involving using websites to gain more information, writing letters, role play, and code-breaking. Some of the tasks seem rather simple for KS3 and one wonders about their learning objectives.

Not my favourite book in this series, but crammed full of information, and moves you out of your comfort zone!

Reviewer: Jocelyn Sumner, Partnership Director, University of Exeter, Devon (former Head of Religious Education at Teign School, Kingsteignton, Devon)

Review posted on: 8 January 2009

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