There is little doubt that the nature of Bonhoeffer's unfinished final theological ruminations have made him a thinker whose influence has grown as theologians and pastors have tried to make sense of Bonhoeffer's vision. In writing a guide for the perplexed, the best way to approach his thought is to use the "perplexing" themes of the prison letters as guides for engaging Bonhoeffer's larger theological project. In this guide, Lawrence uses five key themes from the prison letters as ways into the movements of Bonhoeffer's theology. In doing so, he engages specifically with the difficult