"Charles Ringma's book, In the Shadow of a Rugged Cross, has been a gift for me. Ringma (re)introduces us to Bonhoeffer's piety, spiritual practices, and heroic action. [He does this] to help us live in the midst of our contemporary turmoil, a context which he pointedly and sensitively depicts. And he does this by grounding his reflections in Bonhoeffer's texts, allowing a broader theological vision to situate or contextualize the quotable Bonhoeffer quotes. Bonhoeffer hoped Christians in his time would pray and act. This book can help us to do so in our time."
--Jameson Ross, lecturer in New Testament and early church history, Trinity College Queensland, Australia

"Christian formation is sometimes reduced to a few techniques or straight pathways. This book provides an alternative. By focusing on how Bonhoeffer confronted the misshaping powers of his day through his life, thought and actions, Ringma develops a robust, winding, full-orbed pathway of Christian formation that both avoids trite or simple solutions and equips us to face the powers of our secularized Western cultures. Ringma opens us up to embrace a more mature and transformational spirituality. And God knows that we need to find and take this road much less travelled if we are going to be the people of the Way in our present cultural context."
--Tim Dickau, associate, Centre for Missional Leadership, St. Andrews Hall, Vancouver

"From his deep and long engagement with Bonhoeffer's writings, Charles Ringma offers us spiritual themes and insights from a protestant saint appropriate to our volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world. This is a masterful interpretation of a Christ-centered piety that is personal and ecclesial, radical yet real, contemplative and compassionate, prophetic yet hopeful. Take, read, then pray and act!"
--Tan Seng Kong, lecturer, Christian theology and spiritual formation, Biblical Graduate School of Technology, Singapore