Summary: A collection of the writings of Eberhard Arnold, describing the life of discipleship embodied in the Bruderhof, as a radical alternative to the institutional church.

I was in an online conversation today, provoked by posting an image of a new book titled Claiming the Courageous Middle. The person who responded thought I was talking about the idea of being a political moderate and wondered how many biographies have been written about great moderates. I remarked that none of those labels fit what I’m talking about and I rather agree with the implied characterization of moderate as being something like insipid. As a Christ follower, I have a different allegiance, to God’s kingdom and a way that is far more radical than anything politically on offer, the way of Jesus. If I were with the person, I would just offer him a copy of the book I’m reviewing by Eberhard Arnold and say, “Read this, if you want to understand what I’m talking about.”

Eberhard Arnold is the co-founder of the Bruderhof, “an international movement of Christian communities whose members are called to follow Jesus together in the spirit of the Sermon on the Mount and of the first church in Jerusalem, sharing all our talents, income, and possessions (Acts 2 and 4).” Writing in the 1920’s and early 1930’s as National Socialism was rising in Germany, he articulates the defining features of this alternative Christian community, differentiating it from the institutional Christianity of his day, increasingly identified with and supportive of the state. Eventually the German community fled to neutral Switzerland, while other Bruderhof communities flourished in England, Canada, the U.S. and eventually South America. This work was drawn from his notes as he taught the German community and is organized thematically with the date the message was given.

This work is organized into four parts. The first reflects his own sense of the crumbling civilization of his time and contrasts this with the inbreaking of the kingdom of God. He describes the Church as “an embassy of God’s future reign.” that looks for the day when that kingdom will extend to the whole world, uniting all under Christ in peace. The Sermon on the Mount reflects the way those who embrace the hope of the kingdom live, and the early chapters of Acts, on which the Bruderhof is modeled, reflect the living out of the sermon.

The second part talks about the fleshing out of this new order heralded by Jesus. The church was established and continues to be established by an outpouring of the Spirit, forming her as a community and empowering her for mission. He writes about the community, that it must be built by God in contrast other communal efforts built on human effort. He recognizes the evil power of money as the reason for the sharing of possessions and no private ownership or savings. Entry into community comes through repentance, a “recognition of the gravity of what we have done.” Baptism represents our break with the status quo, reflecting our spiritual rebirth. The Lord’s supper is a feast of bread and wine, remembering not only Christ’s perfect sacrifice but our communion with each other, one cup, one loaf. Arnold takes seriously the scripture saying we ought not worship if we have a quarrel with someone in community; we should settle it first. Finally, the expectation of the coming kingdom of Jesus calls every one of us in some way into the church’s shared mission.

Part three focuses on the individual in relation to the community. Our bond is not our intention or vision but the Spirit who unites very different people, and fits them, with their gifts, together. Arnold doesn’t speak of leaders but elders who are servants of the word (and housemothers responsible for the women and their work–it appears there was for Arnold a real gender division in the communities). Arnold emphasizes how important is the heeding the leading of the Spirit in one’s speaking in the community. This is a community that practices discipline–“straight talking with love.” At the same time, life in community is always voluntary. If one wishes to leave, they may. All are expected to work, health permitting, according to their gift. Arnold considers marriage a sacrament to be enjoyed in unity and purity between man and woman. Life is to be revered, children welcomed. He denounces abortion. Singleness is also honored. He discusses the high value the Bruderhof place on education although his emphasis is one the formation of character through consistent discipline. The aim of education is to help children see Christ everywhere, in every field of study.

The final section concerns the commitment to peacemaking and non-violence. What is striking is that this commitment rules out work in government, which only makes sense for these self-sustaining communities. While not anti-government, the call is one of “hands off,” of no political involvement. I do wonder how, beyond personal service to humanity and in the order of Bruderhof communities, justice is pursued. What is clear from the final chapter is a deep call to identify with Christ’s sufferings in the suffering of humanity.

I certainly have not captured all the nuances of Arnold’s thought here. He offers bracing challenges to the comfortable traditional church, foremost of which is, do not the scriptures call us to this kind of life together? Nor do I know the extent to which this describes present day Bruderhof communities, although the description on their website sounds consonant with the teachings of Arnold. What is striking to me though is that Arnold thought and taught deeply about how the kingdom life should be lived out among God’s people, particularly around the issues of money and property, as well as the renunciation of violence in any form (including corporal punishment). He challenges all the excuses we make for why we don’t pursue this life. He reminds us of how radical it really can be to say, “I have decided to follow Jesus.”

____________________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review. ( )

God's Revolution by Eberhard Arnold is a thought-provoking and deeply inspiring book. Arnold presents a compelling vision for a just and compassionate society, grounded in a deep commitment to Christian faith and values. Throughout the book, he challenges readers to examine their own lives and to consider how they can work towards creating a more equitable and loving world.

One of the things that I found most striking about the book is its emphasis on community and the importance of coming together to create positive change. Arnold writes about the need for individuals to connect with one another, to support one another, and to work together towards a common goal. He also discusses the role that faith can play in helping us to build strong and resilient communities.

In addition to its focus on community, God's Revolution also offers a powerful critique of contemporary society and the ways in which it falls short of the values that Jesus taught. Arnold is unafraid to speak truth to power, and his words are sure to resonate with anyone who is concerned about the state of the world today.

Overall, I would highly recommend God's Revolution to anyone who is interested in exploring the intersection of faith, justice, and community. This is a thought-provoking and deeply moving book that has the power to inspire and transform.

The book God’s Revolution provides excerpts from the works of Eberhard Arnold, the founder of the Bruderhof intentional community. As the book’s title suggests, this book proposes that living by God’s word is a revolution to how society currently lives. This is especially true I the areas of war, peace, and the economy. The Bruderhof leads a counter-cultural existence as compared to much of Western society and their communities provide a living example of one radical way of understanding how to live in that community. The book is a series of excerpts from Arnold’s writing with most selections about one or two paragraphs. Since it is a compendium of parts of several works the thought is sometimes difficult to trace. With each section, it was difficult to understand the organizing principle. I think that if the selections were organized by date within each section, then it would have been easier to understand. This book is especially helpful if one wishes to understand one way of living the Christian life. ( )

A Christian-focused look at the world. I found it an interesting read. Arnold's faith, the Bruderhof, was outlawed by the rising Nazi party in 1930s. ( )

I am overdue to review this book, which I read months ago. This is a collection of excerpts from Arnold's lectures, sermons and other writings. Some of them are quite striking but on the whole I find I prefer extended arguments Arnold makes to the excerpts, as insightful and often poetic as they are. ( )