When the Time Was Fulfilled

Eberhard Arnold (1883–1935) studied theology, philosophy, and education and was widely sought as a speaker at student conferences and other gatherings. In 1920, leaving a promising career as a writer and the privileges of upper-middle- class life in Berlin, he moved with his wife and children to Sannerz, a small village in central Germany, where they founded a Christian community on the basis of the Sermon on the Mount. Pastor, politician, and author, Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt (1842–1919) with his unconventional ideas about the kingdom of God, profoundly influenced a whole generation of European seekers. Among the luminaries he influenced were Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Emil Brunner, Oscar Cullman, and Karl Barth. Yet his vision and witness are still waiting to be discovered by most Americans, few of whom have had access to his works. He carried forward the work of his father, Johann Christoph Blumhardt (1805–1880), who is regarded by many as the key figure of German pietism.

• ContentsIntroductionThe Christmas StoryAdvent1. The Eve of Advent2. The Shaking Reality of Advent3. When the Time Was Fulfilled4. God’s Time5. Prophecy6. The Wise Men’s Star7. The Crier in the Wilderness8. The Angel of Annunciation9. The Blessed Woman10. Christ the Lord11. Pure Love AloneExpectation12. That Which Is to Come13. The Power of Expectation14. In Holy Waiting15. Remaining Together16. When the Light Shines17. Get Ready for Action18. Keeping Watch19. A Savior Is Born20. Open the Door!Glad Tidings21. Where Love Breaks In22. Before the Manger23. Let Our Hearts Be Moved24. Born unto Us!25. A New Message26. Peace on Earth27. Truly Christ’s Day28. The New TimeGod with Us29. Immanuel30. The Struggle of the Atmospheres31. The Hour of Decision32. Away with Human Honor33 . God in the Flesh34. Jesus and the Poorest35 . The Living Reality36. Humiliation37. The Motherly Spirit38. New Birth39. The Incarnation40. Christ Must Enter AgainEpilogue