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 84 Plough Quarterly • Summer  What is the true life that we should lead–what does it mean to be alive? A body is alive when all the organs and functions work together in unity for one another and for the tasks of the body. Life exists where there is a cohesive, dynamic unity: unity of movement, unity in multiplicity, unity in consciousness, unity in will, in feeling, and in thought. Life is organic unity. Likewise, an individual is only fully alive insofar as he or she is part of a united humanity. And humanity is united only insofar as it is led and deter- mined by one collective soul, by one spirit of community in which all stand up for all and all work for all. If we want community, we must want the spirit of community. That is why I reject the so-called communist form of community. I believe only in that com- munity which believes in the Spirit: the community whose collective soul is the Holy Spirit. In the Spirit, the church is unanimous and united; in the Spirit, the church is rich in gifts and powers and various expressions. But just as in the body, unity can only be maintained through sacrifice, so also in the church community, unity can only be maintained through sacrifice. As we have already seen, if this unity were to be achieved without sacrifice then it would only be the gratification of a form of collective selfishness. In the church, however, each individual must be ready to sacrifice all his strength, yes, even to surrender his life. Only one who is ready to give up his life for his brothers and sisters truly loves. If we want to set our hands to work in church community–if we want to enter into the church and belong to the Spirit that animates it–then our hands must first let go of all else and be open and free for service. If we can comprehend this mystery, then we will understand that this way is life-affirming. It is not a matter of dying for the sake of dying, but of letting go for the sake of a rebirth. It means turning away from illusions in order to win reality, renouncing inessentials in order to attain essentials. What will come over this world is fire, a network of holy torches, a network of organic, living cells. The early Christians were in the habit of speaking unphilosophically and simply. In order to illustrate the coming future of humankind, they used two pic- tures: the table and the wedding feast. All people shall be united in the kingdom like a gathering around one table; all shall be united as in one wedding party. The unity between one man and one woman in marriage is to be the symbol of the unity between God and his people. This is our task in church community. It consists in making our whole life in all its aspects a symbol of the future of humankind in the coming kingdom of God. And so: away from property, onward to community! Translated from German by Kathleen Hasenberg and Emmy Barth Maendel based on Eberhard Arnold’s lecture notes. Footnotes and scripture references have been added by the editors. John 15:13 Matt. 22:1–14; 25:1–13 Rev. 19:6–7 Eph. 5:31–32 Ourlife inallits aspects mustbea symbolof thecoming kingdomof God.