Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand

He was a recent convert to Christianity from atheism, and preached the gospel much at that time. This book is basically an autobiography by a man who was living in Rumania during the time when the Communists took over the country. Reading about this particular underground church has given me insight to how the other Underground Churches still opperate today. It is also highly recommended because, while Romania's Underground Church no longer has to operate in secret, there exist Underground Churches in other nations of the world: China, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba (just to name a few). I highly recommend this book for both its historical and inspirational value. Reading Wurmbrand's descripting of these acts shocked this reader several times. Wurmbrand pulls no punches as he describes the means by which he and other Christians were tortured: placed naked in a freezer until nearly dead, warmed up, then placed back in the freezer repeatedly made to partake in a mock-Communion service of urine and feces cut several times then placed in a room full of starving rats and then there's the conventional methods of torture: beating, attacking your family, and raping. This book is also very emotionally charged. The resourcefulness of the Church was both inspiring and surprising.

Wurmbrand does history a great service as he provides a first-hand account of Romania's secret church, how they worshiped, how they evangelized, how they communicated and provided support for each other, etc. I'm aware of little historical work on Undergrounc Churches anywhere-be it Eastern Europe, the Middle East, China, or other lands. He writes in a 'stream-of-consciousness' style, seemingly paying little attention to chronology and jumping from event to event.īut while Wurmbrand does not skillfully craft a litarary masterpiece, he does give the reader quite a masterpiece as far as emotions and history are concerned.

Wurmbrand writes about this very book that it has 'no literary value,' which is true. Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Jew who gave up athiesm for Christianity in his youth, writes about his years working as a pastor in the secret, Underground Church in Romania.

Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand