Biography
John McCabe joined the Von Hügel Institute as Research Associate in 2019. He was ordained in 2001 and was Rector of St Mary’s Church Byfleet in Guildford Diocese from 2006 - 2024. He completed his MA at Trinity College/ Bristol University in 2001, having graduated from St Edmund Hall Oxford in Modern Languages in 1982 (French and German). John’s academic work is enriched by his previous professional experience gained internationally prior to ordination in sales, marketing, general management and management consultancy roles. He is working on historical and biographical details surrounding the last 9 days of the life of German Resistance theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer in April 1945 in the context of the latter stages of the war in Europe.
John completed his Ph.D. at Chester University in 2015. His doctoral dissertation, entitled Bonhoeffer: Responsible Work - A diachronic approach to a synchronic theme: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s theology of work was supervised by Dr Stephen Plant (Trinity Hall) and Professor Tom Greggs (Aberdeen). He is currently holder of a award from the International Bonhoeffer Society in support of his forthcoming book, Dietrich Bonhoeffer • The Last Eight Days, now published by Baylor University Press.
Research
- National Socialist Germany under Hitler 1933-1945.
- ‘Work’ as a person of faith.
- The Heberlein Diaries – Hitler’s non-compliant ambassador. Subject to contract with the family, using firsthand diaries, photographs, letters and notes faithfully preserved by the family for 80 years, scanned by Maria Sardà Villardaga and presented to the author, the project will transcribe in full the voluminous collection. Following translation, publication will ensue in Spanish and English. Given that the Heberleins accompanied Bonhoeffer throughout his final days, the project is a natural follow-on from Dietrich Bonhoeffer- The Last Eight Days
Publications
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer – The Last Eight Days. Baylor University Press, October 2024.
- Acht Tage im April. PenguinRandomHouse/Gütersloher Verlagshaus, February 2025.
Books reviews of
- John Hughes, The End of Work:Theological Critiques of Capitalism (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010).
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Berlin: 1932-1933 (Works, Volume 12 - English Edition, 2014);
- Charles Marsh, Strange Glory - A life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (New York: Knopf, 2014).
- John de Gruchy, Bonhoeffer’s Questions: A life-changing Conversation (London: Fortress, 2019).
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