Harping
on Community
Every so often, the fact
that we live in community draws us into dialogue with
people that focus entirely on this detail of our life in
Christ. With some things they say, we stand in agreement,
but the better we get to know them, the more uneasy we
feel. Communal groups, it seems, so easily fall into the
trap of preaching a lifestyle rather than preaching Christ.
All that does is stir up “foolish questions that gender
strife” and for that reason we must firmly refuse to get
drawn into them.
Nothing could be less like Christ than to argue why, or why
not to, live in community!
In response to a discussion on communal living, our brother
Peter wrote:
Writing from the
church at Elmendorf I must say I read with a growing sense
of dismay this discussion on community of goods (although I
liked many things some of you shared). Does any one of you
live it? Do you speak with any authority, for or against
it? If not, I feel I must present some very serious
cautions.
We are really wary of people promoting "community of goods"
in what looks to us like a hard-line legalistic way. "Thou
shalt. . ." On the other hand, we find it incredible that
some should keep on insisting "it doesn't work." The right
way, we think, lies somewhere in between.
One of you wondered about our experience. Elmendorf is a
branch of the Upland community (Anabaptist, Hutterite) in
South Dakota. That was a branch of Spring Valley, Spring
Valley of Platte, and Platte of Bon Homme on the Missouri
River. That community was founded in the 1870s by
immigrants from Russia with communal roots going back to
the 1530s. Rather obviously the fully communal lifestyle
has worked for us! It works so wonderfully, in fact, that
for many of our Hutterite people (around 40,000 people in
full community) it has kept right on going for generations
after the Spirit of Christ has departed!
The truth is, communal living does absolutely nothing to
make us more Christ-like. One can be greedy, selfish,
proud, vain—anything in the book—while living in community.
Actually corporal greed or selfishness can bring about even
much greater wickedness than what "private property
individualists" would most likely be able to accomplish.
Community living is just living, like everywhere else. One
must still make a thousand personal decisions every day.
But all this having been said, it is undeniably a very good
life! I grew up in a fairly close-knit Mennonite community,
but left it as a teenager. For twenty-five years I lived a
"private life" but missed the lifestyle of my childhood
with ever increasing intensity. Now we are back and I could
not be more grateful! No, we are not in heaven yet (not
even in St. Thomas More's Utopia) but I think we have it
about as good as it gets on this planet.
Just this afternoon, working out in our new shop, dining
hall, and meeting house building, I was thanking God in my
heart for what I was seeing. All around us our men and boys
were busy as beavers, some hammering and sawing, some
wiring, some working on a vehicle, some bringing in and
taking out supplies . . . and the children playing in and
among us. Some sang as they worked, others visited, and we
knew our wives and daughters were busy in the kitchen and
doing the housework together. Truly it is a great joy. No
one thinking of gain for his own pocket, everyone giving
everything he or she has for the rest. No one dreaming of
promotions, or worrying about getting laid off. Just life
together, come what may.
Then, coming home from our delightful evening meal and
prayers I meet this intellectual batting back and forth on
the web. What a shock! What a contrast! How I wish I could
have shared my day with you!
My urgent feeling for you is not to talk more about
community of goods until you just quietly slip in and find
your place among brothers and sisters (wherever that may be
possible for you). Then you may either "catch the spirit"
or you may go away with reasons for what you say.
To argue from the scriptures, for or against community of
goods is a hopeless, circular exercise of the brain, an
absolute waste of time. Of course the early Christians did
NOT live in Hutterite colonies like we do in Minnesota! The
very idea is preposterous.
And of course they did NOT live in affluence and
self-sufficiency like Americans or Europeans
today--everyone with his private vehicle, private home, and
bank account. The truth is, they lived like the early
Christians, the Anabaptists lived like the Anabaptists, and
we live like modern Hutterites. So what? We have all been
"working on it" in our time and place. That is all we can
expect of you, or you of us. And we shall all stand before
the judgement seat of Christ.
Seeking him first, the rest will be added to us.
Christ gave no law about community, because forced
community could be nothing other than horrible. Like a
forced marriage. The spirit of community only comes to us
when we give all we have to him, and find ourselves in
unity with others that have done the same. It is a great
gift, a treasure not to be taken lightly, something many
have longed for but few have handled successfully for an
extended period of time.
The spirit of community lives not only (or even
necessarily) in Hutterite colonies or Twelve Tribe farms.
It is not something we can produce or demand. But in
Christ, when it comes, it is the spiritual counterpart of
familiar love. It is the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
Seek and you will find!