Congratulations to 2016 Golden Halo Winner Dietrich Bonhoeffer!
The Supreme Executive Committee of Lent Madness has unearthed a heretofore undiscovered Bonhoeffer text on the viscitudes of cheap and costly grace in the context of Lent Madness. We share it with you, without comment, as we believe the text speaks for itself.
Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of Lent Madness. Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like wares from the Lentorium. The Saintly Scorecard, the bracket posters, the write-ups of fabulous Celebrity Bloggers are thrown away at cut prices — like Frances Perkins mugs at 50% off. Oh wait…
Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching on topics other than saints, writing our own name in the bracket, voting without reading the comments, not seeing the humor in Lent Madness…Cheap grace is grace without Wi-Fi, grace without the Golden Halo, grace without an updated bracket.
Costly grace is the saintly kitsch hidden in the field; for the sake of it, a person will gladly go and sell all that he or she has. It is the Lent Madness bracket of great price for which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of the Supreme Executive Committee, for whose sake a voter will pluck out the internet connection which causes the participant to stumble.
Costly grace is represented as Lent Madness’ inexhaustible treasury, from which the Supreme Executive Committee showers blessings with generous hands, without asking questions or fixing limits (except on votes).
PS. Stay tuned for information released later today about Lent Madness 2016 swag. Mugs? Pint glasses? A Silver Halo for Julian of Norwich? All will soon be revealed.
GREAT graphic! Will be inviting dear Dietrich over for coffee very soon, and meanwhile am savoring one of the best Lent Madness experiences yet. All shall be thanked, and all shall be thanked, and all manner saints shall be thanked.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I finally picked a winner! Thank you SEC Padres and Bloggers and and FORWARD MOVEMENT and Ms. Jane P. whom I have not forgotten ! LENT MADNESS FOREVER
and Dietrich Bonhoeffer whose spirit hovers over us all….Evil did not prevail and never will as long as there is the Resurrection!
Wow, thank you for the mention! This is the first lent that I discovered this site and I LOVE IT! Wish it went on all year, which I guess would then mean a whole year of penance, but if there were Lent Madness, I think it would be worth it!
A wonderful selection of saints, with some hard contests. It was also a pleasure to travel through them in Oliver’s company.
I concur, Barbara! He rocked it.
Hurray for Bonhoeffer.
Constance for 2017!!! (Gotta start the race early in these political times).
The king is dead. Long live the king.
We need #ConstanceWouldGo bumper stickers in the Lentorium!:)
I agree!
YES! YES! YES!!!!!!
I’m in.
Totally agree!!
Me too!!
I’m up for that. or the Julian shot glass
Blessed Good Friday, Happy Easter… see you all next year, Lord willing
I second the Julian shot glass!
Very cool.
I agree!!!!
Yes! And Julian pint glasses!
Yes, swag! The coffee mug will sell like hotcakes!
A saint for our times and all time. Great match ups this year. Next year—Hugh of Lincoln, please?
Second! Been asking for him for years now…. 😉
I third that!
A dozen mugs, please!
Wonderful Lenten Season…thank you SEC for keeping it silly yet Deeply meaningful.
Thank you bloggers…that Bonhoeffer quote yesterday was just so beautiful and inspired me deeply…it should def be on Saintly Kitsch IMHO.
As should Julien’s blessed “all manner of things shall be well…”
Wishing everyone the deep peace which passes understanding as we move into these next Holy Days.
Bonhoeffer Bobble-head in the Lentorium please.
First time poster but have been voting and enjoying Lent Madness for 3 years. We love this entire experience and are already anticipating the separation anxiety known as LMW!!!
My only regret is that Dietrich Bonhoeffer can no longer share his story with us all during future Lent Madnesses.
He can be a trading card!
This has been a year of tough choices, but Bonhoeffer with the Golden Halo is validation that peace and justice comes with a price – and also and most importantly with great love and sacrifice. May we all embody Christ in the world with Bonhoeffer’s example.
Thank you to the SEC for a wonderful Lent Madness Season.
The journey has been most enlightening and delightful, but I’m disappointed in the end–not in the choice of Bonhoeffer whom I deeply respect though Julian helped save my life, but in the rather cheap way you’ve played with his concepts of grace. Nevertheless, I look forward to next year and wish you a blessed Easter.
Thank you for all the work and research that went into sponsoring Lent Madness. I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about all of the Saints; their lives and their contributions. I think the process has worked, and Saint Bonhoeffer is deserving of the Golden Halo!
Thank you. This is been a great learning experience, and fun.
It feels like it all went by so fast. I wish we had a closing montage with a special song like that other tournament has “One Shining Moment.”
Ask and ye shall receive. 🙂
Saints montage:
I am from and still live in New Orleans. Love our saints!! Who dat!
Yay! Who dat!
Tim and Scott, all the bloggers and backup team,
You are surely the pearls of great price throughout Lent.
Thank you and bless you always.
This has (once again) been a lot of fun–thank you all! I’m hoping for a great silver halo commemorative for Julian. My credit card is in my hand. . .
I believe Julian should remain eligible for a future Golden Halo. I ask the SEC not to bestow a silver halo,although I do treasure my St Brigid pint glass! All I know is that I would not have wanted to remove Dietrich Bonhoeffer from the running in the future so that his story could be retold. Ditto for Julian.
Why not something like, if you win the GH you’re inellegable to run for 20 years, and 10 if you get the silver? Not thinking that far ahead? – well you’re already training up the next generation of potential leaders with kids like Oliver to help you out,and these guys are all immortal so there’s no possibility of not having the stamina for future play. And for if they have success in ‘long in the future brackets,’ there’s already some fine kitsch awaiting. Mind you, there’s also the possibility of a ‘champions’ round in a few decades… or less if the silvers as well as the golds continue and are allowed to play together.
Thanks SEC yet again for a thoughtful, prayerful and deeply humourous Lent Madness. Joyful Easter.
All GH winners are permanently retired from competing – and the winners of the various rounds have to wait various amounts of time before they are eligible to compete again. Here’s a sample of the rules from this year’s nominations post: https://www.lentmadness.org/2015/05/accepting-nominations/
Did I misunderstand something? Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s name is the last one on the list of people who were ineligible this year.
What was the final score??? I loved Julian – how close was the race?
60-40 I think.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is most definitely the saint for our time!
Most definitely. Bonhoeffer’s message is sorely needed this election cycle, but most especially this week.
A million thanks for this great experience & community! Looking forward to 2017 already :- )
Bless you SEC & blessings to All.
The Lent Madness team outdid themselves this year! I will look forward to lent next year. Such a blessing to be able to learn about the saints in a fun way.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is most assuredly a Saint for the times we are in right now.
Were that our secular campaigns, debates and, ultimately, elections be as civilized and respectful as Lent Madness. Thank you, Tim and Scott – and your many wonderful collaborators – for reminding us of the inherent decency of the vast majority of our species. Thank you, Lent Madness community around the world, for another inspiring season as we await Christ’s Resurrection.
Thanks to all for another year of Madness!
And we made it through a whole Lent without anyone asking why a certain Presbyterian-minister-turned-children’s-television-show-host isn’t on the bracket!
I can’t get our wonderful LM theme music out of my head. So here’s a big “thank you” to Maestro Shiloh Ruby for the fantastic organ offering at the beginning and end of every Monday Madness video, and the splendid graphic designed by …? Always makes me giggle!
A blessed Easter, y’all!
Oh my!! I will miss Lent Madness so much.
Is there no chance of “Pentecost Madness?”
Or at at least “Advent Madness?” Not at all sure I can wait a year. Especially at my age… Thanks guys!!
We held an Advent Madness at our church. Our celebrity commentator Oliver chose four Old Testament Heroes for us. We had write ups for all four and the congregation voted on them each week of Advent. The winner Ruth was awarded the Golden Star. It was a lot of fun!
Wait–is that THE Oliver we know and love here?
Good job there Tim and Scott, Best yet. Five “Constance would go” bumper stickers please. And two Bonhoeffer mugs of course.
A wonderful contest. I enjoyed it very much and definitely must have a saintly mug featuring Dietrich’s likeness – very excited about that!
Another fabulous and informative year. Thank you to all involved.
I think a Yellow Fever cocktail glass would be wonderful for the Lentorium.
I love the idea of a Yellow Fever cocktail glass!
Tim and Scott, and Celebrity Bloggers, and Adam and everyone else I’m not naming, thank you for another fantastic Lent Madness. My very best to you and yours until next season!
Bonhoeffer’s life and message speak to our troubled times, and I’m thankful that he won the Golden Halo. Looking forward to 2017 LM, and thanks, SEC, for your hard work. Saintly Kitsch not needed for me, but if it’s good for others to expand the fun and appeal to others, that’s fine with me. Oliver was a worthy winner of the St. Francis, and hope he participates next year. Perhaps an SEC member in the making!
I think Oliver would make a great Celebrity Blogger in a few years. He loves learning about the Saints.
It was not an easy choice this year. Given the state of the world both Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Julian of Norwich have much to say to us. But in the end I had to vote for Bonhoeffer
Wonderfully fun and educational experience. Thank you SEC!
Thank you to all that made this great Lent Madness possible. Some match ups were very hard to chose. Glad DB won as I believe his ‘life’ is very pertinent to what is going on in the world today. Maybe in another 5 years or so you could have an Saintly All Star Game of the winners and runners up. Thank you again and Happy Lent!
Dame Julian for the Silver Halo!!!
This was first year, but thanks for a delightful experience. I wish there was some way for spouses with the same computer and address could vote twice. We did have a couple of disagreements. Thanks again to all who made it possible.
Spouse and I have done it before. I don’t think two votes from the same address sets off any alarms. It’s when 25-50-300 votes comes from the same address. Please correct me if I’m wrong, O SEC!
I may be mistaken but when my husband and i used the same computer he voted through his own email and I voted through mine. I dont think its the computer but the email address. This year we used our phones instead.
I’m disappointed that Joseph didn’t win the Golden Halo, but as the SEC and various commentators have pointed out, all the saints have won their halos: Joseph and Constance and Dietrich and Julian and all of them. As always, Lent Madness has been a delight. Thank you Tim and Scott, and everyone who commented and everyone who voted. May you have a blessed Holy Week and a joyous Easter.
Wow, Bonhoeffer won 60% to 40%, a personal favorite…..and over 8,000 votes cast in total. Such an enjoyable game this year and a hero of our times to boot. I have read Bonhoeffer with difficulty and rented all the movies about him that I found. Congrats to all who contributed to our enjoyment of our Lenten season and just like our Michael has said, “It is not a fairy tale”.
I have enjoyed LM for the 4 years, and this was no different. As the American mother of two dual-citizen German-American sons, I am delighted with Dietrich Bonhoffer receiving the Golden Halo–“Echt toll!”–and I give my deepest thanks to the SEC and the Celebrity Bloggers for teaching us all about these incredible people of faith.
I love the graphic of Meister Bonhoeffer already basking in the glow of his newfound Golden Halo! Well done SEC, celebrity bloggers, and the voting public at large. Would that our political choices were half as worthy as all out saints!
Let’s keep Julian available for another lent.
Thank you SEC and CB’s for another wonderful Lent Madness. So many inspiring saints!! I’m particularly grateful to have learned about Vida Dutton Scudder – imagine having lived all these decades and never having known of her and her remarkable life. I’m glad I know now.
I have to say, I miss the “Archbishops Updates” from the Maple Anglican that have been part of Lent Madness in the past. Is the clarivoyant machine (sorry I forgot the name of it) on the fritz? Will the Archbishops be back? Thanks to the Maple Anglican for the work he did bringing us the Archbishops in the first place! A big thank you to the SEC for Lent Madness also!!!!
Ditto. And I believe it’s clairvoyatron
Double ditto!
I love Lent Madness for your pedagogic methodology. Humor helps keep me focused and I learned many new and wondrous things about these saints of God. My one constant this year was Dietrich, now of the Golden Halo. I daresay that for me the final choice was the toughest. Thanks to your ministry, I am edified!
Thank you to the SEC and all of the CB’s for a wonderful LM devotional experience. Really enjoyed young Oliver, a worthy winner of St. Francis. Some very tough choices and some profound thoughts resulting. Already ready feeling LMW!
I’m thinking that a Bonhoeffer pint glass would go really well with my St. Brigid pint glass. Seriously, this was a wonderful Lent Madness. I learned so much. Thanks to all!
I agree!
I am a Democrat, Liberal, Episcopalian living in Mobile, AL. I write that by way of explaining why I am used to losing! I love my dear Julian and will carry her inspiration in my heart always – Halo or no. I greatly admire DB, his courage, intellect and inspiration. If anyone had to win over Julian it was DB.
Lent flew by ….. Thank you SEC. In the spirit of lent I am trying not to be a sore looser!
See you next year.
I feel your pain; I’m from Georgia. Have you found The Christian Left Facebook page, or Unvirtuous Abbey? I appreciate finding some community there…
Hooray for Dietrich!! I picked a winner this year. How about St. Genesius, Patron Saint of Actors for next year’s LM? How about ‘Constance Would Go” bumper stickers, silver-plated hazelnut necklaces/bracelets, yellow fever champagne (!)glasses, etc. Love Lent Madness and the joy it brings me and so many others. And thanks Carol and SusanLee: didn’t know there were anymore D.L.E.’s in the south but me and my family. Happy Easter to all.
Wow! I am a liberal Dem who grew up in Mobile, Alabama. I had to laugh at your introductory comment since I know exactly what you meant that’s funny.
What an interesting group of saints to challenge us this Lent. Thank you to the SEC and all the bloggers for another trip through Lent. Am very pleased that DM now has the Golden Halo. His message speaks to a troubled world.
A Blessed Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Saturday, and a most Joyful Easter.
Hearty congratulations to Saint Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a most deserving Golden Halo winner. Love the graphic! Farewell to Lent Madness 2016, and I will miss all of you, dear friends.
Wishing everyone a glorious Easter. See y’all next year.
Thank you SEC, Celebrity Bloggers, and everyone who has commented, lobbied, or voted. It has been a lovely Lenten journey with you all.
Have a blessed Triduum and a joyous Easter!
I loved every day of lent madness… Great job… Great fun… Blessings to all of you!!
Wait a minute, did I miss something in the Cheap Grace posting that was attributed to our winner ? or did the humor evade my limited mind ?
Any way I am happy Dietrich won. He deserves it
God’s Blessings to all.
The concept and the literary skeleton is Bonhoeffer; the “innards,” however, are pure SEC.
Great Lent Madness season…. This years saints were very interesting to read about. Looking forward to next year!!!
Want to thank the SEC for another great learning experience and enjoyed the many blogger comments. Looking forward to next year and maybe a chance to again vote for Constance.
Julian on the Nutella label.
I vote YES!
As much as I supported Julian, I don’t think she should get a Silver Halo. Last year the vote between Francis and Brigid were so close that I thought it was nice that she was given an award. But Dietrich Bonhoffer soundly beat Julian of Norwich this year. However it is not my will but that of the SEC that shall be done.
True, but Julian has come in second place twice. Back in 2012, she lost to George Herbert. So I think making it to the final round twice is at least comparable to Brigid’s close call with Francis.
As a major Brigid supporter I agree that the race last year was so close she deserved the silver halo. Unless we are going to backtrack and give all seconds silver, oh yeah and thirds bronze and, and, and…
Thanks for the Madness. Looking forward to 2017.
This has been the most wonderful Lent Madness. All the writing by celebs gets better every year.
I’m thrilled that Dietrich Bonhoffer held on the the end. Holding on was so much a part of his character. Thanks Tim and Scott for another great Lent!!
Another excellent Lent Madness; thanks to all who made it possible, and to all who read and rooted and commented and voted.
Blessed Three Days one and all, and a blessed Eastertide….
Thank you again for a wonderful journey through this Lenten season. I have learned so much,not only from the celebrity bloggers but from the many thoughtful posts of the participants. I always read the comments before making my final choice, and sometimes was persuaded by their arguments to change my original choice.
Would love to see a GLASS coffee mug, etched with the winner, now THAT would be the start of a great collection.
I’M SO HAPPY DIETRICH WON! (Although all were great!) And I am so happy…and so grateful, that I found Lent Madness; because of it, I learned about many people (saints) that I would not have known about otherwise. I also enjoyed the humor. Your good natured site with its brilliantly lighthearted writing brightened my days. I’m only sad that lent madness is over. I love you guys! Congrats, Dietrich! Jane
Great choise !
I was just looking at the web site link for the rules in selecting saints for the bracket – posted in advance of the 2016 contest – and at the bottom of the list of saints ineligible due to their placement in 2012-2014 is the 2016 GH winner Dietrich Bonhoeffer!! See the list copied below. What gives? Is this a web glitch or was he truly ineligible? Will this require the involvement of SCOTUS to rule on the rightful GH winner for 2016?!?!?
From 2012 — 2014 (ineligible)
Basil the Great
Lydia
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Bedell
Anna Cooper
Phillips Brooks
Julia Chester Emery
Jonathan Daniels
Hilda of Whitby
Luke
Dorothy Day
Li-Tim Oi
Oscar Romero
Emma of Hawaii
Margaret of Scotland
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Uh-oh. SEC, we’re gonna need a ruling on this….
Hanky Panky in the voting committee? An INVESTIGATION?! Chad HANGING! Just what I am used to!!! Julian had NOTHING to do with it, she was locked up in her cell with her cat and her Hazelnut!
Oops.
I was looking at the Forward Movement site to pre-order a mug and I think I spotted a merchandise spoiler!
Oooh…I see what you mean. Perhaps a nice Weizenbierglas would be more appropriate, but this is pretty cool too….
My first year participating and I loved it. Very rewarding. Can hardly wait for next year.
Dietrich feels very right for the times we are living in. And sharing a cup of coffee (or a beer) with him, feels just right as well.
I’ll look forward to Julian’s Silver Halo mug–or tote bag! Thanks for a great Lent, SEC!
How close was the vote? You didn’t say, or else I don’t know where to look.
It was 60%-40%. Click the “Bracket 2016” tab at the top of the page, and scroll down to find all the results for LM 2016.
As an ELCA pastor, I am proud of my fellow Luther, Dietrich Bonhoeffer!
I mean Luther-an!
I am fine with the results. However, after reviewing the final votes throughout the Lent Madness, it seems a bit strange that the final vote would be an even 60-40%. Does the Supreme Executive Committee have a vote of some kind that would “even things out”??
Thank you to the SEC, all the CBs, the Bracket Czar, Forward Movement Staff, all those who wrote comments, the voters, the Lent Madness global community, and all the saints for another wonderful Lenten journey! It was fun and educational. 🙂 Have a Blessed Holy Week and a Joyous Easter! Happy Lent!
thank you to all who make lent madness happen. and an especial thanks to Beth Lewis for telling the stories of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. sitting in Maundy services tonight and thinking about the meaning of love in the context of the commandment, i was glad to have the life of Bonhoeffer to reflect on.
At long last, I *finally* voted for the winner! His life and witness is sadly all too-relevant to our times. Much congratulations and appreciation to all who make this game fun and available during Lent. We’ll see you in 2017.
Super-Duper!
Being a former Church Musician of German Descent (and having been raised in the Roman Catholic, Presbyterian and Lutheran confessions as an added bonus) my two candidates were Dr Albert Schweitzer and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Glad to know that one of them made it!!
Seriously, we should meditate the life, work and martyrdom of D. Bonhoeffer during these Paschal Triduum days, keeping in mind how history is going recently. Even having a fraction of the courage that this man had would make a difference.
And next year, I would like to see Dr. Martin Luther himself in the Lent Madness!
Until then, Andres Gunther, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA.
It’s Holy Saturday and I wander the deserted, echoing halls of Lent Madness…
Is there anybody still here? HELLO? Hello…hello…(hello)…
If you’re out there, please RESPOND! Respond…respond…(respond)…
Here I am! Getting a shot of old Lent Madness to ease my LMW. And looking to see what earlier comments I may have missed.
Hi Kathy!
Great to hear from you. My wife and I just got back from the church (Easter Vigil rehearsal, then Altar Guild prep). We have exactly two hours before we head back.
Whew! As a priest once told me, “Every year during Holy Week I wish I was a Quaker.”
ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN!
THE LORD IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!