Unity was a common theme in the work of Martin Bucer. He wrote about the unity of all believers who are being gathered together under Christ from every nation and tongue. This included the people of Israel who looked forward to the coming of Christ. He was also very interested in the internal unity of the Church. He invoked the metaphor of the Church as the body of Christ (Ephesians 4). He thought that this unity could only be maintained if believers lived for others rather than for themselves. This concern for others over yourself was vital to Bucer's understanding of the Church and of community.
Reference: “Bucer's commentaries on Ephesians” by Peter Stevens.
Comments
Leaving unity aside for a moment, what does he say about how a person lives for others? And to what extent can we, as human, are able to live for others? To parents, this is a simple and clean statement to live by. But that is just one aspect within a lifetime. To others, those who are not family, what constitutes this selfless act? And at what point, if it exists, does this notion breaks down? If one were TRULY to live for others, then does he not lose his identity? Isn't one of the wonders of life that of the self?
Posted by: jaime on Thursday, August 18, 2005
I really wish I had access to more of Bucer's writings. He is my current favorite Reformer. Unfortunately, I don't think many of his works have been translated into English and published.
At the time that Bucer was writing, many of the cities in Germany and Switzerland were basically independent city-states. Religious pluralism was unheard of. He developed his ideas on community in this environment and they were fairly utopian. He thought that the Church and the government should work together to develop a Christian society where everyone submits his own interests to the interests of his neighbors.
This idea is completely foreign to Western culture now. I think our identities are very individualized. It is hard (impossible?) for me to objectively consider this given the current culture.
Posted by: CJ Costello on Friday, August 19, 2005
I have received two separate complaints about my answer above so we'll see if I can do any better this time.
1. I am not very knowledgeable in this area, but I think much of our concept of the individual can be traced back to the Enlightenment. Before that the vast majority of people thought they existed to serve their king or their lord or what have you. Also, in other cultures, community is valued over individual. I don't know if this was the case in Strasbourg during the Reformation. This leads to the question of whether the modern, Western culture puts too much emphasis on self.
2. In a sociological framework for community living, living for others can probably only work if everyone is living that way. Otherwise, certain members of the community take advantage of others and the whole thing breaks down.
I have more to say but time does not premit...
Posted by: CJ Costello on Thursday, August 25, 2005