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Against the Wind: Eberhard Arnold and the Bruderhof - Plough

Against the Wind: Eberhard Arnold and the Bruderhof - Plough

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<strong>Against</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Wind</strong><br />

Confessing Synods were formed in <strong>the</strong> Protesant church, <strong>and</strong> half a year before<br />

<strong>the</strong> Barmen <strong>the</strong>ological declaration –each in opposition to <strong>the</strong> Nazis. <strong>Eberhard</strong>’s<br />

conviction of 1918 held good in 1933. Christians were to be a “corrective to <strong>the</strong><br />

normative” <strong>and</strong> were duty-bound to give <strong>the</strong>ir first allegiance to God ra<strong>the</strong>r than<br />

to men. No one belonging to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Bruderhof</strong> ever lifted a h<strong>and</strong> in <strong>the</strong> German<br />

salute. Not one member ever shouted “Heil Hitler!” Not one of <strong>the</strong>m ever became<br />

a storm trooper.<br />

Subtler points deserve mention as well: <strong>Eberhard</strong> never addressed Hitler as<br />

“Führer,” much less “beloved Führer,” <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>refore, by definition, <strong>Eberhard</strong> never<br />

acknowledged Hitler as a leader. Always, he kept it to “Reich Chancellor” or<br />

“Chancellor.” Even in his letter to Hitler, <strong>Eberhard</strong> spoke with consistent clarity<br />

about only one Leader: <strong>Eberhard</strong> spoke of discipleship to “our Führer <strong>and</strong> liberator,<br />

Jesus Christ.”<br />

178

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