Review of Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

This edition is published by Harper One - a division of Harper Collins. After all my academic training, this is the first full book by Bonhoeffer I have ever read, and it came at the recommendation of one of the House Church websites, I forget which one. This particular edition begins with a short biography of his life, and I found that very helpful. The book itself reads very quickly and is very though provoking in spots. It lends itself to recommending to other men who have busy lives and several kids to care for. No pictures:), but only 122 pages. The first of five short chapters is titled Community, an explanation of the value of being together with other Christians, describing communal living in Christ as the roses and lilies of the Christian life, characterized by humility and thankfulness. There is a great section on the nature of spiritual love as proving itself in that everything it says and does commends Christ. For its only through Christ that we have access to one another, joy in one another, and fellowship with one another. Without Christ, basically, we would not want to be around each other. The second chapter is titled The Day with Others, explaining that common life under the Word begins with worship at the beginning of the day, encourages personal and family devotions which should include Scripture reading, hymns of the church, prayer and communion. He also encourages us to take the time and the work it takes to learn and know God's Word, use it in correcting one another, be sure we sing together, and be mindful of praying at all hours of the day. The Day Alone is about real silence, real stillness, really holding one's tongue comes only as the sober consequence of spiritual stillness. p. 79. This stillness is achieved as he explains how to meditate on Scripture, pray, and intercede for others. Ministry is the title of chapter 4. He asks us to compare ourselves only to Christ instead of competing with one another, keep a tight reign on our tongue, keep personal pride in check, listen, be helpful, learn to put with those who irritate you, proclaim the word person to person, and as a result real athority will emerge. The last chapter is Confession and Communion. When we confess our sins to one another real community can occur because self-justification, and pride are defeated, a genuine break with the past occurs, and accountability takes place between two sinners. When properly done confesssion helps men be ready to celebrate God's desire for the community and that is reconciliation before God and men.

Interesting Quotes:

1. A pastor should not complain about his congregation, certainly never to other people, but also not to God. A congregation has not been entrusted to him in order that he should become its accuser before God and man. p. 29.

2. Where Christ bids me maintain for the sake of love, I will maintain it. Where his truth enjoins me to dissolve a fellowship for love's sake, there I will dissolve it, despite all the protests of my himan love. Because spiritual love does not desire but rather serves, it loves an enemy as a brother, p.35.

3. Is this not an indication that prayer is not a matter of pouring out the human heart once and for all in need or joy, but of an unbroken, constant learning, accepting, and impressing join the mind of God's will in Jesus Christ. p. 49

4. The head of the family .....It is his responsibility to pray for the fellowship. So he will have to share the daily life of the fellowship; he must know the cares, the needs, the joys and thanksgiings, the petitions and hopes of others. p. 63

5. There are three purposes for which the Christian needs a definite time when he can be alone during the day: Scripture meditation, prayer and intercession. p. 81.

6. ....there is no sin in thought, word, or deed, no matter how personal or secret, that does not inflict injury upon the whole fellowship. p. 89

7. If my sinfulness appears to me to be in any way smaller or less detestable in comparison with the sins of others, I am still not recognizing my sinfulness at all. p. 96.

8. One who worries about the loss of time that such petty, outward acts of helpfulness entail is usually taking the importance of his own career too solemnly. p. 99

9. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. p. 110.

10. The most experienced psychologist or observer of human nature knows infinitely less of the human heart than the simplest Christian who lives beneath the Cross of Jesus. p. 119