Bonhoeffer in a Catholic Community

Until these matters could be clarified, Bonhoeffer needed a place of shelter, a haven from the ever-watchful eye of the Gestapo. His “nomadic existence” was becoming less tenable. “[I need] to plant myself somewhere a little more permanently,” he wrote to his parents. Ettal was first suggested by Paula Bonhoeffer, Dietrich’s mother, who was familiar with the area from vacations she and her husband had spent in the nearby village of Oberammergau. In this way, the Protestant theologian found himself living in a Catholic community.
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Bonhoeffer found spiritual nourishment at Ettal in the daily rhythms of Scripture, prayer, silence, and song. This pattern resembled, in some respects, Bonhoeffer’s organization of community life at Finkenwalde, with its antiphonal reading of the Psalms, stated hours of prayer, hymn singing, and silence. This form of spiritual life was dubbed by some of his critics as “a new kind of monasticism.” Now ensconced in a rather “old” form of monasticism based on the Rule of St. Benedict, Bonhoeffer reflected on the inherent value of monastic life for the entire church: “It would certainly be a loss (and was indeed a loss in the Reformation!) if this form of communal life preserved for 1500 years were destroyed, something those here consider entirely possible.”

Source: Timothy George - "Bonhoeffer at Ettal: Advent", First Things, 12 Dec 2016, https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2016/12/bonhoeffer-at-ettal-advent-1940

No Peace Without My Brother There

(12) After leaving Ephesus, I traveled to the city of Troas to proclaim the gospel (good news) of Christ. When I arrived, I discovered that the Lord had opened a wide door for my ministry, (13) but I still had no peace in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus there, as he had not yet come from Corinth. So I said goodbye to the Troas church and took a boat across the Aegean Sea to the Roman province of Macedonia (see Acts 20:1).

Source: The Apostle Paul - 2 Corinthians 2:12-13 (IEB)

Thomas Campbell

After laying out his plan for achieving unity through restoration cited above—that we should do and say as the first century church did and said—Campbell immediately writes: “But if after all, our brethren can point out a better way to regain and preserve that christian unity and charity expressly enjoined upon the church of God, we shall thank them for the discovery, and cheerfully embrace it.”

This comment indicates, first, the humility of Campbell in defining his vision for unity. ....

Second, Campbell’s remark shows explicitly which value he considers as the end and which value is the means. Unity is the conditio sine qua non, “expressly enjoined upon the church of God.” Restoration of first century practices is the means to that unity.

Third, and most noteworthy, Campbell regards the means, which in this case is patternistic restoration, to be potentially dispensable. By “dispensable,” I do not mean unimportant. Restoration is, to Campbell’s mind, the most effective way, “the only possible way, that [he] can perceive,” to achieve unity. He leaves the door open, however, in case there is, in his words, “a better way.”

Source: Thomas Campbell - Thomas Campbell, Declaration and Address, in The Quest for Christian Unity, Peace, and Purity in Thomas Campbell’s Declaration and Address, ed. Thomas H. Olbricht and
Hans Rollmann (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, 2000), 37, as quoted in "The Restoration Movement, the Habit of Schism, and a Proposal for Unity", by Dr. Keith D. Stanglin, in Christian Studies, Volume 28, August 2016, http://austingrad.edu/Christian%20Studies/CS%2028/Proposal%20for%20Unity.pdf

In Prayers The Heart Goes Out To Others

(12) This ministry (service) of giving is not only providing for the needs of the Lord’s people in Jerusalem, but will also overflow in many expressions of thanksgiving to God. (13) Because of your ministry, by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience flowing from your confession of the gospel (good news) of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and everyone else. (14) And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the abundant grace God has given you. (15) Praise be to God for his abundant (indescribable) gift!

Source: The Apostle Paul - 2 Corinthians 9:12-15 (IEB)

German Churches after WWII

After World War II, the situation of the Christian churches in Germany changed significantly. Refugees from the East of the German Empire moved to the West, and the allied forces saw to it that they were settled in Germany so as to bring Protestants and Catholics in contact with each other. Later economic growth led to a shortage of labour, resulting in agreements between the German government and many Mediterranean countries to have “guest workers” brought to Germany. In this way, people from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Morocco, and Tunisia came to Germany, which increased the confessional and religious diversity in the country. This saw in particular an increase in the Orthodox presence in Germany. Although it was initially thought that they would return to their home countries after a couple of years (hence the name “guest workers”), they stayed and left their mark on German life and culture. The 1980s saw an increase of ethnic German immigrants, many of whom were Orthodox, Baptist, or Jewish. In recent years, war, terror, and social unrest in the Middle East, Africa, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and many other countries has generated a large flow of refugees. While most of them flee to neighbouring regions, there are increasing numbers of migrants trying to find refuge in Germany and in other European countries.

Source: Council of Churches in Germany (ACK) - "The Ecumenical Situation in Germany", http://geii.org/week_of_prayer_for_christian_unity/prayer_worship/ecumenical_situation_in_Germany.html

Roman Catholic Commission on Unity

With respect to 2017, [Catholics and Lutherans] should renew their effort with gratitude for what has already been accomplished, with patience and perseverance since the road may be longer than expected, with eagerness that does not allow for being satisfied with the present situation, with love for one another even in times of disagreement and conflict, with faith in the Holy Spirit, with hope that the Spirit will fulfill Jesus' prayer to the Father, and with earnest prayer that this may happen.

Source: Lutheran - Roman Catholic Commission on Unity - Conflict to Communion: Report of the Lutheran - Roman Catholic Commission on Unity, p. 88

Repentance - The Joy-Filled Life

You may call yourself a committed Christian, but if repentance is not part of your life, you are in a dangerous place. Remember Jesus' verdict on the church at Sardis: "You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead" (Rev 3:1). To be spiritually alive is to walk in repentance. Dead are those Christians who are never sorry for their sins. Dead - in God's eyes - are those Christians who have lost the capacity for the overflowing joy of forgiveness. If this is missing, something is wrong with our lives, no matter how committed we seem. Being human, we are all prone to sin and stand in constant need of forgiveness. We need repentance like the air we breathe.

Source: M. Basilea Schlink - Repentance: The Joy-Filled Life, pp. 20-21

Cardinal Dolan on the Bruderhof

By the way, they brew the finest beer, make the best bratwurst, grow the most delicious produce, raise the finest turkeys, and bake the best pies, that this pro has ever savored...and they are a lot of fun!

Most of all, they show us that the Church of the Acts of the Apostles is still very much alive!

Source: Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan - "Radical Discipleship Lived in Our Midst", Catholic New York, 27 April 2017, http://www.cny.org/stories/radical-discipleship-lived-in-our-midst,15453

House Church Leaders

Quoting 2 California house church leaders:

Over the years we witnessed the disastrous results of ignoring wrongdoing or secretly hiding it. We lived in a small urban community with several people, one of whom was a single man who had fallen in love with a married woman in our group. Some of us tried to tackle their affair by talking with them separately about it. Yet no one dared to bring it out in the open ... We convinced ourselves that confrontation would not only add to hteir sense of shame and self-condemnation, but also perpetuate the cycle of failure. In the end we tried to forgive their shortcomings and avoided talking about them any further. Now we see that this so-called compassion only perpetuated the problem ...

Source: Johann Christoph Arnold - Why Forgive?, pp.166-167

Fr. Peter Hocken

The history of conflict and mutual alienation [Catholic-Protestant] has caused a breakdown of trust, so that Catholic initiatives for unity, and particularly papal initiatives, are widely suspected of being cunning devices to restore Roman domination. In this situation the only Catholic initiatives that initially stand a chance of success are steps of humility that demonstrate that the age-old fears no longer have any foundation.

Source: Fr. Peter Hocken - Pentecost and Parousia, Peter Hocken - p. 100

David du Plessis

It was a hard moment - followed by a great healing light - when the Lord made me face up to my judgmental attitude, the one that was blocking any effective ministry by me among those I thought to be wrong in their ways.
"You're not forgiving," He stated flatly. "You're a public prosecutor, judging everybody in sight. But I want you to be a public defender - not a public prosecutor."

Source: David du Plessis - From "A Man Called Mr. Pentecost", as told to Bob Slosser, Ch. 18, p. 163

Nazi Descendants - What To Do?

Not just in Germany, but in Israel too, there has been a silencing culture about the Holocaust for many years. The main principle of the organization, therefore, is talking. The actual discussion of the matter, after years of silencing on both sides, brings people closer and releases tensions and old hatreds. It aims to guarantee that the past does not repeat itself.

As part of the organization, the young Germans meet with Holocaust survivors around the world, tell them about their families’ Nazi past and seek their forgiveness, promising to do everything in their power so that those hate crimes do not repeat themselves.

Source: Itay Ilnai - "Nazis’ descendants sing ‘Hatikva’ to Holocaust survivors", Ynet News, 6 Jan 2017, http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4902914,00.html

A Catholic Mom

As we endeavor to move forward in the wake of the election, my personal desire will be to continue to live out the sparks that were lit in my heart during this year of mercy. The call for me to personally carry out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy is not impacted by who holds an elective office.

Source: Lisa Henley - Lisa Henley, founder of CatholicMom.com and co-editor of The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion: A Book of Daily Reflections, As quoted by Kathryn Jean Lopez, Crux, 13 Nov 2016, https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2016/11/13/mercy-can-help-america-heal-bitter-political-season/

Repentance Towards Hispanics in Austin, 2007

Some of your ancestors had land taken away from them in the Southwest, in direct violation of the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo signed with the Mexican government by the US.

Today, it is hard to know Christ’s acceptance from us when you feel targeted by our police, rejected by our politicians, and taken advantage of by contractors who leave you unpaid or underpaid after a hard day’s work.

So as a white person, I apologize on behalf of my people, repent before God for our sins, ask for your forgiveness, and express my heart’s fervent desire that this would change.


Source: Thomas Cogdell - Repentance towards Hispanics during the 2007 Global Day of Prayer service in Austin Texas

Erasing History in America

Just one of many reasons calling slaves, workers, migrants or immigrants angers me. We've erased history enough in America. Slaves were completely stripped of native land, dignity, family names, language, culture and family. We must remember black slaves were the only oppressed group that were completely denied education and the ability to read. This didn't take place for a few years but for generations and centuries. Their blood and stories run through my veins. I'm here today because of someone's resilience, faith and survival. I don't ever want to forget that and neither should you. So I have problem when we don't name the oppression, gloss over it, misinterpret, and erase American history related to slavery. Denial serves no one, there is liberty and freedom in truth. The truth makes us free, lies perpetuate bondage. How many of you have heard of this story? How many learned of the murders of 20,000 blacks in Mississippi in school? I didn't. This isn't about shame and guilt but conviction that leads us toward redeeming justice. May we lament. LORD have Mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have Mercy.

Source: Latasha Morrison - Facebook post on 8 Mar 2017, with link to https://blackmainstreet.net/never-forget-devils-punchbowl-20000-freed-slaves-died-forced-post-slavery-concentration-camp/

The Serbian Orthodox Church

Jesus' attitude is not a popular one in our day, even in religious quarters. And in the rare instances where it is promoted publicly, the response is often skeptical, if not downright cynical. Such was the case in 2005, when the Serbian Orthodox Church surprised observers across Europe by asking forgiveness for its support of Milosevic's regime. "We honestly offer our Albanian co-citizens reconciliation and mutual forgiveness," it said in the opening sentences of a public statement. Critics belittled the apology as a political move, but there were others who embraced the chance for dialogue. They noted that whatever its effect, it was the first such attempt to honestly address the hatreds that had led to one atrocity after another across the region for most of the previous decade.

Source: Johann Christoph Arnold - Why Forgive?, pp.210-211

Their Part in The Rift

Paul's use of lupeo [Greek word for "to grieve"] in 2 Corinthians suggests that he understands the Corinthians' grief as their regret and mental anxiety for their part in the rift between them and Paul.

Source: Rabbi Jonathan Kaplan - "Comfort, O Comfort, Corinth: Grief and Comfort in 2 Corinthians 7:5-13a", Harvard Theological Review, 104:4 (2011), p. 436

Jimmy Seibert, Senior Pastor of Antioch (Waco)

Parishes in the Austin Diocese, which includes Central Texas, may resume public celebration of Mass Tuesday, but another group of area churches doesn’t plan to reopen until June.

Included in the group are Highland Baptist Church, Maranatha Church, Harris Creek Baptist Church, Antioch Community Church, Greater Zion Baptist, Crossroads Fellowship, Renew Church, Columbus Ave. Baptist Church, Brazos Meadows Baptist, Christ the King, Greater New Light Baptist, Grace Church, Waco, Grace Church, Hewitt, Ministerios Bethania, Central Christian Church, Park Lake Drive Baptist, Western Heights Baptist, New Life Christian Fellowship, Meadowbrook Baptist, New Faith Christian, Faith Bible Church and St. Stephen’s AME.

The pastors of the churches say they were encouraged to show unity, after watching their followers come together.

"Crisis always brought people together and I think the crisis has brought churches together," said John Durham, the lead pastor of Highland Baptist church.

"I have been so proud of the Waco community, where people have stayed active with their faith in the middle of this crisis," said Jimmy Seibert the Senior Pastor of Antioch.

Source: KWTX Waco - As quoted by Phil Brown on FB, 16 May 2020