The book I have given away most and why: The Rev’d Sam Sigamani
Faith book reflections
“This book inspires me because it reminds me that being baptised and ordained does not fulfil or justify my status as a Christ follower. I am called to take up my cross and proclaim Christ’s grace, and this costly grace must be lived in my daily discipleship,” says The Rev’d Sam Sigamani from The Parish of Wynnum
I encountered Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life narrative during my initial seminary years at the United Theological College, Bangalore. He became one of my role models in ministry as a pastor and a theologian. Because of Bonhoeffer’s exemplary life, which is reflected in his writings, I was pulled to one of his great books, The Cost of Discipleship. To me, Bonhoeffer was a pastor, theologian, martyr and a prophet of the last century.
The cost of discipleship is a reminder for Christians of Jesus’ invitation to follow him. The book’s reflection on “costly grace” and “cheap grace” challenges both individual Christians and churches on how faith is to be practised in social life.
For Bonhoeffer “cheap grace” is adhered to by individual believers and churches who preach forgiveness without requiring repentance for their unjust, unrighteous, and oppressive attitudes and structures. In such situations, “Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate”.
Bonhoeffer speaks of “costly grace” as being adhered to by those who respond to the call of Jesus to risk their identities, privilege and supremacy based on race, power, wealth, gender, and so on in order to identify Christ’s solidarity with people who are poor, downtrodden and oppressed. As such, costly grace “is the kingly rule of Christ…is the gospel which must be sought again and again…Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man [sic] his life, and it is grace because it gives a man [sic] the only true life…Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son.”
This book inspires me because it reminds me that being baptised and ordained does not fulfil or justify my status as a Christ follower. I am called to take up my cross and proclaim Christ’s grace, and this costly grace must be lived in my daily discipleship.
Standing up to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi dictatorship, as well as assisting concentration camp prisoners in fleeing, cost Bonhoeffer his life:
“Discipleship means adherence to Christ, and, because Christ is the object of that adherence, it must take the form of discipleship.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 1937. The Cost of Discipleship. SCM Press, UK.
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