Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt (1842-1919), with his unconventional ideas about the kingdom of God, profoundly affected a whole generation of European seekers. Pastor, politician, and author, he influenced Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Emil Brunner, Oscar Cullman, and Karl Barth, among other luminaries. Yet his vision and witness are still waiting to be discovered by most Americans, few of whom have had access to his works. He carried forward the work of his father, Johann Christoph Blumhardt (1805-1880), who is regarded by many as the key figure of German pietism.
