43 pages • 1-hour read
Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community
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Chapter 2Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 2 Summary: “The Day with Others”
In “The Day’s Beginning” (40), Bonhoeffer lays out a set of best practices for days spent in community, beginning with the morning. Christians ought not to begin the day with worries about everything that needs to be accomplished but instead use this time to dwell on and worship God: “Innumerable are the ancient hymns that call the congregation to common praise of God in the early morning” (42). Bonhoeffer provides readers with evidence of biblical figures who turned to God first thing in the morning, writing, “With remarkable frequency the Scriptures remind us that the men of God rose early to seek God and carry out His commands, as did Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and Joshua” (43). Christians, both families and individuals, should take advantage of the freshness of their minds in the morning and begin the day in the presence of God. Different people will have different needs regarding how to fulfill this, but above all, they must begin the day with Scripture, prayer, and hymns.
In “The Secret of the Psalter” (44), Bonhoeffer writes that the Psalter (or Book of Psalms) is a powerful book with an ancient history and prayers for all occasions. Therefore, it should be revisited by modern Christians and incorporated into their daily lives. The Psalms are particularly useful when a Christian prays, for Jesus Christ himself prayed the Psalms. When a person prays the Psalter, they pray alongside Jesus. Through this act, Jesus becomes the intercessor, and their prayers reach God.
In “Reading the Scriptures” (50), Bonhoeffer writes that “[t]he prayer of the psalms, concluded with a hymn by the family fellowship, should be followed by a Scripture reading” (50). He adds that while there is nothing wrong with reading a verse of the day, it is imperative to explore the Bible as a whole book. It is better to read passages from both the Old and New Testaments to see how each interacts with or impacts the other. Readers should not be discouraged if they find themselves struggling with understanding the passages they read, as “the Scriptures and hence every passage in it as well far surpasses our understanding” (52). This, in fact, points back to Jesus’s power and wisdom, which exceed human comprehension.
Bonhoeffer also calls for a consecutive reading of the Bible—that is, studying the books of the Bible to better understand the history of God. He writes that Christians must learn to discipline themselves to study and know the Bible the way the Reformers did, for it is only then that the Christian’s everyday life will be grounded in biblical truth.
In “Singing the New Song” (57), Bonhoeffer argues that hymns are a crucial part of Christian fellowship in the morning; Bonhoeffer describes them as a shadow of the singing that is to come when Christians are joined with God in heaven. Therefore, it is important that singing be intentional and from the heart. Bonhoeffer argues that the best way to ensure humility in song is to sing in unison and thus avoid the temptation to draw attention to oneself with harmonies or solos. Regardless, singing should be a regular practice for the Christian: “The more we sing, the more joy we will derive from it, but, above all, the more devotion and discipline and joy we put into our singing, the richer will be the blessing […] from singing together” (61). Songs should not be sung out of a need for attention or a sense of duty but instead to strengthen Christian community. Hymns are a way to worship God alongside fellow Christians and to express in song what eludes the spoken word.
In “Saying Our Prayers Together” (61), Bonhoeffer considers the practice of praying together. Bonhoeffer instructs one person to be chosen to lead the prayer and be the intercessor for the group. That person is then to take prayer requests from the group, ensuring a common prayer on behalf of all. Bonhoeffer writes, “Prayer, even though it be free, will be determined by a certain internal order. It is not the chaotic outburst of the human heart but the prayer of an inwardly ordered fellowship” (64). Intentionality, specificity, and focus are all requirements of the intercessor.
Bonhoeffer adds that people will likely desire more frequent or special prayer meetings. These, he writes, should only occur if there is a “common desire for them” (65). They are not to be ordered or forced but should be the product of willing hearts and minds, as the state of the heart when praying is the most important aspect of prayer.
In “The Fellowship of the Table” (66), Bonhoeffer explains that after the morning Scriptures, prayers, and hymns, Christians should break bread together. He writes, “Not until the fellowship has been nourished together and strengthened with the bread of eternal life does it come together to receive from God earthly bread for this temporal life” (66). When Christians do sit at the table together, they should give thanks to Jesus for the gift of the food they will eat together. Fellowship of the table is also an important reminder that Christians are called to share what they are given. Bonhoeffer reminds readers of the story about Jesus feeding 5,000 people with merely two fish and five loaves of bread. This miracle demonstrates God’s blessing of those who take care of one another. The food belongs to the group, not to the individuals, and it is intended to be shared.
In “The Day’s Work” (69), Bonhoeffer says that while the morning is dedicated to God, much of the day must be given to work. Work brings the Christian away from the fellowship of others and “into the world of impersonal things” (70), but if done wisely, it can also be used to glorify God. Bonhoeffer reminds readers that Christians are called to pray constantly, and this includes during the workday. The wisdom of God can be sought in every work decision, and prayer to God can give the Christian strength and focus needed to achieve any task their job requires.
In “Noonday and Evening” (72), Bonhoeffer explains that noonday is a brief period of rest in the middle of the workday; Bonhoeffer advises that this time be used for fellowship with one’s family: to gather and thank God for the lunch meal and for God’s guidance through the first half of the day. The evening marks a return to more direct contemplation of God: “When night falls, the true light of God’s word shines brighter for the Church. The prayer of the Psalms, a hymn, and common prayer close the day, as they have opened it” (73). Bonhoeffer urges Christians to close the day by praying for forgiveness for anyone who wronged them during the day, so as not to go to bed with an angry heart. As Christians get ready for bed, they should pray a nighttime prayer of protection.
Chapter 2 Analysis
The second chapter of Life Together is a step-by-step guide for Christians on how to live a day in fellowship with other Christians, exploring the theme of The Role of Worship and Scripture in Daily Life. Though the entire book is a guide on how to live communally among other Christians, this chapter is the most straightforward in its instructions. Bonhoeffer is careful not merely to give guidance on how to spend each hour of the day but also to unpack why Christians are called to spend their time in these ways. For example, when he writes that Christians should spend the morning dwelling on God, he reminds readers that biblical figures did the same. He also provides biblical evidence for fellowship, saying it is “woven into the Christmas story, the baptism, the miracles and teaching, the suffering, dying, and rising again of Jesus Christ” (55). In doing this, Bonhoeffer, a keen scholar and student of the Bible, solidifies his arguments for the disciplines he requires of Christians. It is not Bonhoeffer who is telling Christians to spend their mornings studying the Bible, but the Bible itself.
Of all the books of the Bible, the one that Bonhoeffer highlights in this chapter is the Psalter (the Book of Psalms). This book is essential to the faith of a Christian, in part, because Jesus himself prayed the Psalter. Thus, Bonhoeffer writes, if one prays the Psalter, they are praying alongside Jesus, who becomes their intercessor. The Psalter is also important because it covers such a range of prayers and is therefore applicable to many experiences. Lastly, there is historical precedent for the Psalter being used to start and end the day; when the modern Christian does so, they are therefore participating in an ancient and reverent tradition and joining in a kind of transhistorical community. The discussion therefore develops Bonhoeffer’s claims about The Nature and Importance of Christian Fellowship and Unity, suggesting that these are not to be understood in strictly physical and temporal terms; rather, the literal gathering of Christians mirrors the spiritual community Christianity affords, which is not bounded by place or time (a particularly relevant idea given the constraints under which Bonhoeffer himself was operating).
Bonhoeffer also continues to stress The Relationship Between Humility, Confession, and Forgiveness, as when he explains that humans cannot ever fully understand the Bible: It is the Word of God, not the wisdom of humanity. One should know it as well as one can but not get discouraged if it still feels too long or complicated. In particular, Bonhoeffer stresses that while it is important to read and study the text as a whole, its intricacy exceeds human understanding: “[E]very word, every sentence possesses such multiple relationships with the whole that it is impossible to keep the whole in view when listening to details” (52). In teaching humility, however, Bonhoeffer does not advocate shame over any human lack or need, and he himself practices grace toward his readers in doing this. As a preacher in the underground seminary, one of his pillars for teaching new Christian leaders was to ensure they knew how to read, know, and eventually teach the Bible themselves.
Bonhoeffer’s emphasis on reading the Bible is in keeping with his admiration of Martin Luther and other figures associated with the Protestant Reformation, who urged Christians to read the Bible for themselves rather than relying on the interpretations of priests. His focus on inner feeling likewise reflects the ideals of the Reformation, which witnessed a shift from the Catholic Church’s emphasis on good works to the Reformation contention that faith alone is necessary for salvation. However, for Bonhoeffer (as for some other Protestant thinkers), these two things are not necessarily in tension. Rather, Bonhoeffer writes that it is important to understand that the state of one’s heart when singing hymns, praying, or even engaging in fellowship at the table has a direct effect on each of these acts. Regarding singing, for example, Bonhoeffer warns against the urge to draw attention to oneself and one’s abilities at the expense of focusing on God. To avoid this, he argues that the best way to worship is to sin in unison. Similarly, he argues that the person who is serving as intercessor during prayer should not attempt to draw attention to themselves but instead strive to reveal the grace and goodness of God through their prayer. The idea that outward actions reflect one’s inner state allows Bonhoeffer to stress the importance of putting one’s faith into practice without violating his theological principles as a Lutheran.
One of the more tangible examples of Christian action comes with Bonhoeffer’s discussion of the breaking of bread in the final subsection of Chapter 2. When discussing the fellowship of the table, he emphasizes the importance both of doing so with a willing heart and of sharing with others: “So long as we eat our bread together we shall have sufficient even with the least. Not until one person desires to keep his bread to himself does hunger ensue” (69). Bonhoeffer acknowledges the counterintuitive nature of this claim, calling the biblical teaching “strange.” His reference to the miracle of the loaves and fishes implies belief that sharing one’s food does in fact lead to bounty rather than scarcity, but his reference to a heavenly fellowship at the table also suggests a spiritual or metaphorical meaning: By following this injunction, one will not be spiritually hungry regardless of one’s physical circumstances.
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