Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84Plough Quarterly • Spring 2016 79 It is not possible to create a life of love and brotherliness within the fragmentation of the existing social order. The communal way of life alone can foster such relationships. It is not always easy to recognize the brother in every man, and not believe oneself higher and better than another. Living by love implies a life of social justice, because love encompasses each person equally – it cannot show partiality. And economic injustice can be accepted just as little as human injustice. Such a community must reject capitalism and desire to live in complete community of goods, in the communism of the original apostolic church. Personal property and earnings are completely renounced. And because all here are conscious of the difficulty and bitterness of the way, there is no sweetly gushing Christianity, no false enthusi- asm that fades into thin air with empty phrases (as one may be tempted to think), but rather a Christianity of true conviction and faith, and therefore a Christianity of deeds. That is the pivotal thing. As part of its ultimate goal and through the strength of God and his spirit, this Christianity seeks to penetrate the whole of life right down into the smallest practical details. It is precisely in the most mundane routines of daily life – those that are not filled by the elation of holier hours – that this Christianity must be tested, lest it remain empty and useless. I only hope that through this letter you are able to understand a little of how I came to this decision, and that it is impossible for me to return to the former way of life. From your Anni Three weeks later, Anni added in her diary: Diary, February 21, 1932 What has happened during this time? It is all so tremendous and unfathomable. How to comprehend that the living God has come into life – into my life? We venture to ask him that we might be allowed to encounter him – to live a life of dedication and love after the example of his son, Jesus Christ. Who could ever have anticipated such a reality?  Annemarie Wächter, a relative of the progressive educator Friedrich Froebel, grew up at the country boarding school in Keilhau, Germany that he had founded. After escaping to England from the Nazi regime in 1936 with her husband, a pacifist, she worked as an educator and counselor in the Bruderhof community in Rifton, New York until her death in 1980. These abridged selections were compiled by Marianne Wright. “A community of people from the most varied classes and professions”: Bruderhof members take a break from work (1932).