Book of the week (1): "Life Together"

(Tim) Last week, three links were added at the top of the left column. The first is titled "Book of the week," and this is my first recommendation.

When Mary Lee and I were first married, we'd moved to Madison, Wisconsin and had no idea what church to become a part of. We had no friends in the city when we moved there so we spent quite a bit of time looking for a church home. Visiting church after church, nothing drew us in. We didn't like this church because every sermon was a Gospel appeal; that church because people weren't warm to us; the third church seemed snooty; and so on.

Then, somehow or other, we got a hold of Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and everything changed. One of the many parts still burning in my heart now thirty-two years later--the roundhouse punch that got us to find a church and stay throughout our years in Madison--was the section of the first chapter where Bonhoeffer says "God hates visionary dreaming." It's a knife in the heart of souls who judge the church rather than loving her (I've put an excerpt on the next page). As Mary Lee and I read it aloud, we saw our pride and lack of gratitude and started to repent...

Since then, I've recommended Life Together more than any other book save The Book, God's Holy Word. Bonhoeffer's writing isn't always dependable, but this little book is worth its weight in gold. It was written out of the Confessing Church's struggle to remain faithful to the Lord during the Third Reich (specifically, a small underground seminary Bonhoeffer led in Finkenwalde). The sanctification of suffering oozes from its pages. There are several things that will raise your hackles. For instance, his recommendation of the Moravian tradition's a capella singing to discipline pride may not convince those trying to restore four part harmony to the church's worship.

But trust me: This book is gold. It's about one hundred pages--short enough to read in a couple hours--and it will do for the soul what is absolutely necessary if we're ever to get past the entrepreneurial parachurch bondage that saturates American Protestantism today. It will lead the hearts and minds of the people of God back to Zion, our Mother (the Apostle Paul), without which we cannot abide in God our Father (Cyprian) and outside of which there is normally no possibility of salvation (Calvin). Pastors, elders, and Titus 2 women, buy an extra copy; you'll always be loaning one out...

and you'll want to keep your own copy close at hand.

Innumerable times a whole Christian community has broken down because it had sprung from a wish dream. The serious Christian, set down for the first time in a Christian community, is likely to bring with him a very definite idea of what Christian life together should be and to try to realize it. But God’s grace speedily shatters such dreams. Just as surely as God desires to lead us to a knowledge of genuine Christian fellowship, so surely must we be overwhelmed by a great disillusionment with others, with Christians in general, and, if we are fortunate, with ourselves… God hates visionary dreaming; it makes the dreamer proud and pretentious. The man who fashions a visionary ideal of community demands that it be realized by God, by others, and by himself. He enters the community of Christians which his demands, sets up his own law, and judges the brethren and God Himself accordingly. He stands adamant, a living reproach to all others in the circle of brethren. He acts as if he is the creator of the Christian community, as if his dream binds men together. When things do not go his way, he calls the effort a failure. When his ideal picture is destroyed, he sees the community going to smash. So he becomes, first the accuser of his brethren, then an accuser of God, and finally the despairing accuser of himself...

Because God has already laid the only foundation of our fellowship, because God has bound us together in one body with other Christians in Jesus Christ, long before we entered into common life with them, we enter into that common life not as demanders but a thankful recipients. We thank God for what He has done for us. We thank God for giving us brethren who live by His call, by His forgiveness, and His promise. We do not complain of what God does not give us; we rather thank God for what He does give us daily. And is now what has been given us enough: brothers who will go on living with us through sin and need under the blessing of His grace? Is the divine gift of Christian fellowship anything less than this, any day, even the most difficult and distressing day?

Comments

[Alex Costa]

So does this mean that I should throw out my copy of "Visioneering" by Andy Stanley?

[Tim Bayly]

Dear Alex,

I dunno. Had a secretary--excellent sister, by the way--who just before going to work with me, had worked for Andy at his Dad's church before Andy split from him, and she thought quite highly of him. So I've always been predisposed to think well of him, athough I've never heard him preach or read anything he's written.

Looking forward to seeing you guys,

[Truth Unites... and Divides]

I've read only one of Bonhoeffer's books and it was "The Cost of Discipleship". THAT book is worth its weight in gold too!!

I was very enthused about Bonhoeffer, but then a respected evangelical recently opined this response to the statement "I think the gospel is served well by Bonehoeffer":

"See, I don't think that's true at all. Bonhoeffer's "gospel" was a neo-orthodox mess of works-religion blended (as all works-based systems are) with an earthly view of righteousness. He said some good and quotable things, if you cherry-pick the best of Bonhoeffer, but if someone came here championing his theology as a complete package, I would strongly object.

Bonhoeffer and (dare I say this?) Martin Luther King have been beatified even in the secular mind as wonderful saints who epitomized the true message of Christianity whilst being "engaged" with political efforts to shape culture. Neither really was a preacher of the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone. Both of them are classic examples of the very thing I am raising a concern about: they let a political agenda eclipse and redefine the gospel for them."
[9:52 am 11/10/08 comment]

So when I read that, I had to re-consider Bonhoeffer's writings in view of this critique.

[Kamilla]

ACK! Another book to add to my stack (grins)! I've got a copy held at the reserve desk of the Tattered Cover, which I will pick up next week when my copy of Margaret Kostenberger's new book comes in.

Tim, I have a feeling this new blog feature is going to cost me a few dollars.

Kamilla

[Suzi]

I saw the book you recommended and I still have mine, dog-eared and underlined, that you and Mary Lee gave me way back when. I am going to reread again too.
Suzi

[Tim Bayly]

I should reread it myself, dear sister.

[Bret L. McAtee]

While Bonhoffer no doubt has some beneficial things to say his theology is neo-orthodox Barthian and as such he should be supped with, with a very long spoon.

[Jay Tice]

Pastor Bayly, in light of your appreciation of Bonhoeffer's concerns with visionary dreaming, I wonder what you would make of this, which has recently come to my attention. We homeschool our children, and in the homeschool movement there has been talk for quite some time of "vision casting" (from the Vision Forum/Doug Phillips crowd). The Christian Home Educators of Colorado have announced a conference ("a vision-packed weekend") for homeschooling fathers in March "to lay out a vision for home education in the 21st century" and "this Summit will allow a time of vision-casting from nationally-respected speakers." What do you make of this? Is this something we should be concerned about, or is it just marketing jargon?

[Tim Bayly]

Dear Jay,

If vision casting keeps men and their families from loving and serving and joining and submitting to the Church, the Bride of Christ, the Pillar and Foundation of the Truth, then Bonhoeffer's warning is precisely what the doctor ordered.

But the simple use of the word 'vision' has nothing to do with Bonhoeffer's warning and its use for this conference wouldn't cause me the least bit of concern. Where there is no vision, the people perish.

Warmly,

[Jonathan Roberts]

So what is an example of unbiblical vision in the sense used in the book?

[Jonathan Roberts]

Still curious.

[Tim Bayly]

Dear Jonathan (and others),

Sorry, I don't have time to answer this question other than to say, as I have already, read the book. I don't hesitate to make this recommendation yet again, even considering the drubbing Bonhoeffer's taken here. There are some people I won't read. Bonhoeffer isn't one of them, although he should be read with biblical discernment (as even the Westminster Standards ought to be).

This book would go far to restoring Biblical fellowship and worship to many, many Reformed churches today.

Affectionately,

[Archie]

I agree. The thing with Bonhoffer is, as Stephen Baker says, "You can't trust him." That said, we all agree that THIS book (Life Together) is worth its weight in gold. Excellent. And definitely read it and then go and do it.