Foto dell'autore

Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt (1842–1919)

Autore di Action in Waiting

19 opere 244 membri 16 recensioni 1 preferito

Sull'Autore

Opere di Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt

Etichette

Informazioni generali

Utenti

Recensioni

Radical Christians are people whose life and work are rooted in their faith. Johann Christoph Blumhardt and his son, Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt, were radical German Reformed ministers in the nineteenth century. Both father and son published a lot of material in German. Their books were quoted by other writers who were translated into English and are still apparently easy to obtian in German. Vernard Eller, initially looking up references in Kierkegaard and Barth, became interested in the Blumhardts' work and obtained rough translations from several sources listed in this collection.

There have been several different editions as more material became available. It's important to know that what I read (and what you can now download free of charge, or buy, from Plough) is the 2011 edition with the flowers on the cover. The last 16 passages in my copy may not be included in earlier editions. It's also worthwhile to know that nearly all the content of the book was written by Christoph Friedrich, though a few short passages are taken from books by Johann Christoph Blumhardt. That's because the first rough translation was done by a Swiss Socialist who wanted to call attention to things C.F. Blumhardt wrote that supported Socialist movements, ignoring other things he wrote that warned against infatuation with political parties or movements.

In this "reader" we see mostly C.F. Blumhardt responding to most of the religious and political movements that influenced US history. Without actually becoming a Socialist, Humanist, Universalist, Adventist, Charismatic, or a real follower of any of the other contemporary movements he spoke with a sympathetic understanding of each one. At least he wanted to believe that all people could be saved; certainly he preached that all people should be loved, and that Christians should be actively working to build the Kingdom of God in this world.

It's easy to translate what is considered good German into bad English. Eller worked hard to overcome that and make Blumhardt's prose as clear and readable as Beecher's, Lewis's, or Fosdick's. He succeeds in allowing C.F. Blumhardt to spek for himself. Anyone can understand what he meant though there are lines that will make informed readers wonder exctly what he meant. Thus, whether or not you are a radical Christian, this book is likely to make you want more translations of Blumhardt's books in English. The Bruderhof religious group, some of whom brought these books from Germany in the 1930s, will no doubt enjoy meeting that demand. This book was an excellent choice for Plough...and it's an enjoyable, thought-provoking read, especially for those who don't get into discussions of Q-source material or the aorist verb.
… (altro)
 
Segnalato
PriscillaKing | Jan 4, 2023 |
Summary: A reflection on the ministry of Johann Christoph Blumhardt by his son, identifying both the continuity, and divergence of their convictions.

Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt had to fill large shoes. His father Johann Christoph Blumhardt had been at the center of a great awakening around the village of Mottlingen, and a later ministry at Bad Boll, that Christoph took over at his father's death. It began with the deliverance of a young woman from demonic powers and resulted in the repentance of many villagers, especially from occult practices as well as other sins, and the introduction by Johann of granting absolution, which had a profound effect. Johann weathered critical scrutiny and criticism by church authorities, walking a delicate boundary of exercising a Spirit-directed and empowered ministry while submitting to church strictures. Another Plough publication, The Awakening, describes that ministry, with its rallying cry, "Jesus is victor!" in much greater detail.

One of the underlying ideas of this book is the forward moving work of the Spirit of God throughout history. The problem, as Blumhardt, the son, sees it, is that people often do not won't to go on with the Spirit. Instead of an empowered, apostolic church defeating the powers of darkness, the church substituted structures and creeds and institutional power while remaining Christian in name.

What happened at Mottlingen illustrated both. There was a resolute struggle against the dark powers, and real breakthroughs in the advance of the kingdom in the lives of the people of Mottlingen. Yet according to Johann Blumhardt, ultimately people sought spiritual and physical healing apart from completely giving themselves to the cause of God. They sought their own comfort rather than the kingdom and righteousness of God,

While Johann admires much in his father's life, particularly his steadfast obedience to the Lord's leading, he faults him for being too eager to please both the people who came to him, and the church authorities, when for the sake of the ministry of the Spirit, they should have been resisted. He also describes three hopes his father entertained, that he affirms, and three false staffs that led to the disappointment of those hopes in his father's time:

1. The hope of a new and continuing outpouring of the Spirit. The false staff was the visible church, whose structures were not able to receive the outpoured Spirit.
2. The hope for God's Zion, a "city" to which the nations would stream. The false staff was mission that spread the gospel without building up Zion.
3. The hope for the defeat of death on earth and the false staff was personal salvation and a hope of heavenly bliss that saw death as a pathway rather than the last enemy.

This last was something I had serious questions about, even though I appreciated the emphasis on a ministry of life focused on bodily resurrection. He rightly points to ways we too easily give way to death in both our physical and mental dispositions. And certainly in our own day, we witness a culture of death about which many Christians are relatively complacent. But if I'm reading Blumhardt right, it seems he believed the defeat of death on earth, without mention of the return of Christ and the resurrection, a real possibility, albeit one thwarted by wrong belief. Blumhardt's references are somewhat allusive, and this was one point where I wish I could have asked him to tell me more, because it seems what he proposes is unorthodox at this point.

Some of the most challenging parts of this book have to do with the issue of progressing so far and then stopping, settling rather than continuing to make way for the Spirit. Connected to this is an embrace of comfort rather than a passion for the rule of God being extended, what he refers to as Zion. There is also some insightful observations about the link between physical and spiritual healing and how this should be approached in pastoral care.

What Blumhart does in his reflection on his father's ministry, and the Spirit's bidding for his own work, is explore the question of why awakening or revival does not continue to flourish and grow. He explores both the inner and outer dynamics that have an impact. The editing and compiling of Blumhardt's papers into this volume (one of the reasons it may seem repetitive at points) is a gift to those who both study and seek revival. Along with scholars from Jonathan Edwards to Richard Lovelace, this study offers rich resources for those who seek to prepare both themselves and the people of God for such awakening work.

________________________________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
… (altro)
 
Segnalato
BobonBooks | Nov 3, 2019 |
A collection of daily prayers for the evening through a year by Pastor Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt who "influenced a generation of theologians, including Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Emil Brunner, Oscar Cullman, and Karl Barth," and others

These prayers are unique as, unlike other prayer devotionals that tend to center on self, these prayers shift one's self-concerns to direct concern for the world and for the community of believers at large. The prayers are not written with "me," myself," and "I," but with "us," "we," "our." It centers on Christ and the Holy Spirit as the primary need. Each prayer gives attention to the Church and the world at large and seeks God's favor, aid, and mercy.

This is an excellent devotional to inspire a life of prayer.
… (altro)
 
Segnalato
atdCross | 3 altre recensioni | May 27, 2018 |
"What would a faith look like that is strong enough to transform the world -
and each of our lives with it?
Christoph Reiedrich Blumhardt proclaims a message that still today, after a
full century, has power to stir up the embers of a dying faith. In his quest to
get to the essentials, he has little patience for religious trappings. And yet
his voice is ultimately not one of criticism, but of encouragement.
Blumhardt's witness profoundly influenced theological giants like Dietrich
Bonhoeffer and Karl Barth.
… (altro)
 
Segnalato
collectionmcc | Mar 6, 2018 |

Potrebbero anche piacerti

Autori correlati

Statistiche

Opere
19
Utenti
244
Popolarità
#93,239
Voto
½ 4.5
Recensioni
16
ISBN
24
Lingue
1
Preferito da
1

Grafici & Tabelle