Today on a lark I pulled up the website for Bruderhof.org and it was gone. Only a cryptic text message on a blank page, when before there was a pretty comprehensive website.
I’ve dug into it a bit and found that I’m not the only puzzled. Here’s some links of discussion…
Wikipedia: Bruderhof Communities (Talk Page) – this is an internal Wikipedia page in which Wikipedians are discussing the objectivity of the Bruderhof article. What is interesting about it though are the last few paragraphs that quote from the final edition of the community’s email newsletter…
Your Last Dig
“The work is more important than the talking and the writing about the work.” – Dorothy Day
“There have been enough words, enough sermons and books. What matters now is deeds.” – Emmy Arnold
Dear Reader:
We will no longer be publishing online, so this will be your last Daily Dig. This is only the beginning, not the end. We want to thank you for your friendship over the years, and look forward to meeting you face to face. Now the real contact can begin. We welcome you to drop by any of our communities any time to join us in our daily life and work.
Plough Publishing House – the Bruderhof publishing company has gone back online and now has many of its books available for free PDF download
Hoot’s Buddy’s Place: Bruderhof online — the light no longer shines – a blog post that discusses the situation
Minor Wisdom: What happened to the Daily Dig?
Leaving Munster: A series of blog posts that discuss the Bruderhof situation – this is pretty good as it discusses better why the Bruderhof chose to do what they did
All in all, I respect the Bruderhof’s decision to change the way they live in a way that reflects their values. There have been times that I’ve considered shutting this website down (for somewhat similiar reasons), so I can understand the impulse.
That said, I think they did err in not explaning themselves more fully. Lots of folks had come to depend on them for spiritual nourishment, and intellectual engagement in what it truly means to follow Christ today. To just pull the plug without giving more significant explanation I think was unkind to their readers.
I think it’s really sad they are not going to be online anymore. It was a great and very influential site and I passed it along to lots of people. I think it did far more good to be online than to shut it down. I think it was a sad mistake.
There is no telling how many peoples lives were turned towards the ideals and practices of the group by having that resource.
Myself and I am sure countless others only exposure to the group and its practices has been through the website and I hate to think of the multitudes from this point forward who will not have the pleasure of being exposed or even finding out they exist.